Full Circle
by Lelila1
Summary: Takes place right after R season (no Outer scouts yet): A new Dark Force has arrived in the Universe in the form of Queen Azure. Serena must lead the Scouts in battle, even when she is betrayed by the man she loves: Darien.
1. Part I: Broken Promises

***One***

"So foul and fair a day I have not seen"

-- Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The sun rose warmly over the large city of Tokyo. It was the beginning of summer, and it was beautiful. The weather was neither hot nor cold, leaving the air crisp and clean. Serena woke rather early in the morning. She yawned tiredly and then got up to get dressed. Her small black cat, Luna, yawned as well, stretching out her long sleek body. The golden crescent moon on her forehead gleamed in the morning sunlight.

            "Come on, Luna." Serena said scratching the cat on the back of the ears, "Let's go meet the others."

            "I'm coming, I'm coming." The small cat replied, jumping nimbly to the floor. Serena got up slowly, laughing at Luna's laziness. She took one strand of her long shimmering blond hair in her hand, playing with it absentmindedly. They both ran down the stairs quickly and were out the door like a breeze.

            "Tell me again, Serena." The wise little cat asked, "What exactly are we doing today?"

            "We're having a picnic!" Serena replied, "Don't you remember?"

            "And that would mean that you should bring your picnic basket.... right?" Luna asked again, a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

            Serena stopped in her tracks, "Oh shoot!" she exclaimed running back towards her house, her two long braids of hair trailing behind her. Luna rolled her eyes, sitting down on the sidewalk waiting for the young woman to return. Finally she came back a picnic basket in tow.

            "Let's go," Serena exclaimed, "We're late!" The two ran for the park. When they arrived, they could see four figures sitting in the middle of the lushly green grass.

            "You guys!" Serena called out to her friends, "I'm here!" The four turned, seeing the young woman.

            "Finally!" the dark haired one said greeting her friend.

            "Hey Rei." Serena replied.

            "Are we ready to begin?" Another asked, she had short-cropped hair, in the sunlight, it seemed to reflect blue.

            "Whenever you are Ami." The one with bouncy dark brown hair replied with a twinkle in her green eyes.

            "Lita!" The fourth exclaimed, "Don't be sarcastic!" She had blond hair like Serena, however it was like a thick mane flowing freely around her figure, coming to a stop right at the small of her back.

            "We can stop with the insults now, Mina." Serena said laughing. The young woman shrugged, sitting down and beginning to take things out of the basket that Serena quickly handed over.

            "Summer's finally here!" Rei exclaimed, letting herself fall to the ground. Her great mane of black hair spread out underneath her like a blanket. The sun brought out the dark rosy red color of her hair.

            Serena sighed, sitting down as well. "Finally!" she agreed.

            "Is Darien coming?" Mina asked thoughtfully.

            Serena shrugged, "I told him about it. I'm not sure if he'll be here or not."

            "Wouldn't that just break your heart?" Lita asked jokingly, trying to hold back a giggle.

            "Hey!" Serena said getting up onto her feet. As if on cue, a young man walked into view. He was tall with bushy black hair. He had sparkling blue eyes that seemed to always be laughing.

            "Hey you guys." He said, coming into hearing distance.

            "Hey Darien." The others replied practically all at the same time. The five young women looked at each other, and then began to laugh.

            "What's so funny?" Darien asked, walking over to sit down comfortably next to his girlfriend, Serena.

            "Nothing." They all replied quickly, and then they all broke into laughter again.

            "You all are acting like children!" a small white cat commented. He, too, had a small golden crescent moon on his forehead, matching that of Luna's. He was completely white, contrasting the other cat's dark black fur.

            "Look who's talking, Artemis." The black cat replied.

            The white cat looked over at Luna; he rolled his blue eyes towards the sky. Suddenly, the sky turned dark and clouded over with clouds. The six young people looked up at the sky apprehensively.

            "The weather forecast didn't say anything about rain." Lita commented.

            "It didn't say anything about falling youmas either." Mina replied her voice just above a dangerous whisper. Not far from them landed two men, workers for the Negaverse.

            "Scouts!" Serena got up quickly looking at her friends; "You ready?"

            They all nodded. Mina stepped forward, holding a small star key, "Venus Star Power!" she commanded.

            "Mercury Star Power!" Ami added.

            "Mars Star Power!" Rei exclaimed.

            "Jupiter Star Power!" Lita said. They each held a star key similar to Mina's.

            Serena took the locket attached to the front of her chest; She took the cover off, revealing a brilliantly clear crystal.

            "Moon Crystal Power!" She exclaimed. The five young women soon transformed. Each of them wore the same costume: a tight white colored sailor suit coming down into a small skirt. Each Scout's skirt and collar were different colors to reflect the planet from which they came. The two troublemakers sent from the Negaverse snickered, looking at them. The Scouts recognized them, having encountered them once before.

            "So, Sailor Scouts," One said, "You decided to join us."

            "Strife," Serena, Sailor Moon, stepped forward looking at him critically, "Leave this place at once."

            "Why should we?" the other man asked.

            "We defeated you once, Mischief," Sailor Venus added, "We can do it again."

            "Oh really?" Strife spoke up.

            "We're going to kick your twin butts!" Sailor Jupiter added; her eyes filled with determination.

            "So you better start running now!" Sailor Mercury added.

            "Oh, please." Mischief replied.

            Rei stepped up indignantly, "Mars Fire Ignite!" She commanded. She put her hands together, flaming fire spouted out. The two brothers cringed from the attack.

            "Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Ami added, sending spouts of water bubbles at them, pushing them back.

            "Jupiter Thunderbolt Crash!" Lita said jumping to the ground, sending bolts of lightning at them.

            "Venus Crescent Beam Smash." Mina exclaimed showering them with light. They all turned to Serena. She put a hand up to her forehead, taking the tiara from her head.

            "Moon Tiara Magic!" She shouted, throwing the golden band like a Frisbee. The two brothers collapsed from this attack, falling quickly to the ground. The soon were destroyed. The five young women returned back to their original forms.

            "I do say," Ami noted sitting down, "That was a rather good fight."

            "I agree." Darien commented; he was leaning casually against the tree.

            "We could have used some help!" Serena exclaimed exasperatedly to her boyfriend.

            He smiled knowingly, "You guys were doing fine without me." He replied, "You forget, Tuxedo Mask does not make small appearances."

            Serena laughed.

*          *            *

            The night had fallen silently over Tokyo. The six friends had spent the whole day talking and playing at the park. Now, they each made their way home. Darien followed Serena as he walked her home.

            "Today was rather fun," Serena said looking up at Darien, "Wouldn't you say."

            He smiled slightly, "Yes," he replied, "I'd say so."

            Serena sighed, "I should probably get home and get my homework done."

            "You mean you haven't finished it yet?" he asked laughing, "Serena, one of these days all this is going to catch up with you."

            Serena eyed him indignantly and then walked ahead of him quickly. He quickly followed her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her back.

            "I love you." He whispered quietly into her ear.

            She sighed lifting her chin slightly. He took the invitation, kissing her gently on the lips.

            "I love you too." She replied after she had regained her breath. The two walked hand in hand down the quiet streets of Tokyo.

*          *            *

            Somewhere, unaffected by time or space, a void had been created. It was vacuum, containing nothing yet everything at the same time. Queen Azure watched her crystal ball intently. She had watched with hunger as both Queen Beryl and the Doom Phantom had tried, vainly, to take over the universe. Now that they were gone, it was her turn, her chance to become the ultimate and supreme ruler of this dimension. As she thought about her future, a small cynical smile crept onto her face. She had now resurrected all of the Negaverse's most powerful warriors. A frown creased her otherwise beautiful face as she remembered her mistake. She had decided to bring back all the fighters whom she had seen under Beryl's and the Doom Phantom's control, but she had forgotten that some of them had betrayed the Negaverse, being no longer evil but good. Azure shook her head with even the thought of that word, "Good". It was something she hoped to rid the universe of, after she had conquered it. Returning her thoughts to her warriors, she grimaced as she realized Nephrite, Sapphire, and Diamond were all lost to her. She shrugged, they were only three, and could easily be replaced. She worried more that they too, had now been returned to this dimension, she would have to watch for them. Looking back at her ball, she saw two young people walking down the silent streets of Tokyo.

            "Look at them!" Azure exclaimed sickly as she took her gaze off the ball, "They're so madly in love with each other!"

            "It can't be helped, your Majesty." The young woman replied, "Princess Serenity and Prince Endymoin have been destined to fall in love for centuries. Many say, that their love is one that cannot be broken."

            "We'll have to see about that," Azure replied, "Don't we?"

            "Yes, Mistress." The young woman said bowing.

            "You know what you must do." Azure said looking at her, "Darien has been waiting for this for a long time. Remember, don't use the spell unless you absolutely have to!"

            "I know, your Majesty." The young woman replied, "the young prince's heart has wandered even without my intrusion, he only needs a little nudging."

            The two laughed wickedly, knowing that they would win.

*          *            *

            Darien watched as Serena disappeared into her house. He sighed. He loved her; at least he thought he did. After he had found out that she was the Moon Princess and that he was the Earth Prince, there was nothing that could stop it. Yet he wondered, he never really had a choice of loving her. They were thrown together by the fates. She had found him annoying and stupid, and he found her clumsy and foolish, when they had first met. They had been the worst of enemies, yet now they were the best of friends. She was three years younger than him, and sometimes acted so immature. He shook his head as he walked slowly down the street, trying to make sense of his feelings. He wasn't paying attention and slammed right into a young woman, knocking her to the ground.

            "Oh, I'm sorry!" he apologized.

            "That's all right." The young woman replied her voice sweet and clear. He reached out a hand helping her up. She stumbled and let out a small cry. He caught her.

            "I'm afraid I twisted my ankle." She said, she couldn't help but let a little of the pain slip into her tone.

            "I'm so sorry!" he apologized again, "My place isn't far from here, we'll go there. I'll give you some ice to put on it."

            "Thank you." The young woman said looking up. He was caught up by her amazingly clear emerald green eyes. They seemed to contrast and match her beautifully flowing red hair at the same time.

            "I'm Darien." He said, after he had found his voice.

            "Emmy." The young woman said. Darien suddenly noticed how close they were to each other; he could fell her cool light breath on his chest. He shifted his position uncomfortably.

            "Well," he said, "My place is that way." He pointed down the street. Emmy nodded, taking his arm to steady herself and then began to limp slowly down the street. He helped her, letting her lean on him for support.

            "I'm new here to Crystal Tokyo." She said as they walked, "I'm supposed to go to the University this fall."

            "Really?" he asked, "that's where I'm going. How old are you?"

            "Seventeen." She replied looking up at him with those bright green eyes, "And you?"

            "Same." Darien replied, "What classes are you taking?"

            "Well," Emmy said thoughtfully, "I'm taking many, but my favorite has got to be Physics."

            "Really?" he asked, "Me too!" They spent the rest of the walk talking about that subject. Darien found that he had so many things in common with the young woman. Soon, he had forgotten completely about Serena.

*          *            *

            "Your Majesty." The voice came from the door. Azure turned around, seeing her servant.

            "Well?" she asked.

            "It looks like our little prince didn't even need a nudge. He's got himself a nice little situation without my help."

            "Excellent," Azure said wickedly, "The love and trust that was between all the Sailors was the one thing that has kept the Negaverse from defeating them. Now, we shall be victorious!"


	2. Part I: Broken Promises

**Two**

_"Ay me! For ought that I could ever read,_

_Could ever hear by tale or history,_

_The course of true love never did run smooth"_

_A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare_

            Serena waited impatiently in front of the movie theater. She looked down at her watch again; Darien was extremely late. She sighed, finally deciding to give up. She began to make her way back home. Darien was never late. She was confused, why hadn't he shown up tonight? She decided to go to his apartment and make sure everything was all right. Her thoughts were jumbled as she made her way to his building. Something was definitely not right. She made her way up the elevator. As she rounded the last corner, she heard some quiet voices coming from the hallway in front of Darien's door. One was distinctly Darien, but she didn't recognize the other. It was a young woman's voice, sweet as bell and gentle as a breeze. Serena looked around the corner, confused. What she saw shocked her. Right there, in front of her was Darien and the other woman. Their lips were locked in a kiss. The other young woman was older than Serena; that was sure. She had a shock of beautiful auburn hair that was pinned nicely behind her ear. Her face was simple but beautiful. She was tall and slender; she looked stunning in the long green dress that she wore. Serena felt tears well up in her eyes. How could Darien do this to her?

            "Darien?" the name was no more but a whisper and Serena couldn't help but let it slip from her lips. The two both looked up at the sound. Serena was not mistaken; it was her Darien that had been kissing the beautiful woman. She couldn't find her voice. She was frozen to the ground. Tears were spilling now freely from her eyes, staining her cheeks. The look that was on his face was at first surprise, then recognition, and finally remorse. After what seemed like hours, though it was only a couple seconds, Serena found her legs. She turned quickly and ran as fast as her shaky legs could carry her. She buried her face deep into her hands. Her chest felt heavy, she could feel a pain deep inside her. She couldn't believe what she had seen. Darien had always said that he loved her, was he lying? She kept running; she could hear footsteps behind her.

            "Serena!" Darien shouted after her. She didn't stop; she couldn't stop. He was faster than she was and quickly cut her off.

            "Serena." He said again, this time softer.

            "Please," her words were just barely above a whisper and they came out ragged and shaky, "Let me pass, Darien."

            "Serena." He gently laid his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, her face was tear-stained. Her eyes searched his for a second and then she looked away. They both stood there in an awkward silence.

            "Why?" she finally asked.

            "I..." Darien searched for the right answer, "I don't know, Serena. It's just, I couldn't... You're so young Serena; I'm three years older than you are. Sometimes, you and I just don't make a good match. I'm sorry Serena. Please understand."

            He had expected her to get angry. But instead, she looked up into his eyes. The large shimmering pools of tranquil blue told him that he had hurt her, more than anyone could ever.

            "I don't ... love... you anymore." He finally said.

            She looked down, getting control of her voice before she looked back up, "I understand." She finally said, beginning to walk away.

            "Serena." He called after her. She stopped and turned again.

            "I do care about you." He said, "You know that, don't you?"

            She hesitated and then nodded.

            "You're still one of my closest friends." He said, his eyes pleading.

            She closed her eyes forcing a smile, "Friends." She repeated. With that she turned and disappeared around the corner.

*          *          *

            "I have a feeling that the Negaverse is just waiting to build up its strength to attack us." Mina commented as she lounged around in Serena's bedroom.

            "I agree." Lita added, "Right now it's too quiet. It's not like the Negaverse to leave us alone for such a long time."

            The five Sailor Scouts were all in Serena's home, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. They were planning their strategy.

            "Is Darien joining us?" Ami asked, looking at Serena.

            She sighed, shrugging. "I don't know." She finally replied.

            "What do you mean? Shouldn't we call him, Tuxedo Mask plays a big role in our plans!" Rei asked.

            "He... broke up... with me." Serena replied surrendering.

            "He what?" The others all said at the same time.

            "Why?" Mina asked.

            "He found someone older, and more mature." Serena sighed, "I guess I should have known. I'm such a klutz and a crybaby, who would want to go out with me?"

            "Serena," Ami cut in, "Don't be so hard on yourself. You've changed a lot now. You are a great leader for the Sailor Scouts, you risk your life to save others, and you really care."

            "Yeah, Serena." Lita added.

            "You're a great friend Serena," Rei said, "Despite all that. He's being very foolish to let a girl like you go."

            Serena forced a smile, "I guess you guys are right." She sighed, "But I miss him so much."

            The room was silent; they all watched the young woman thoughtfully.

            "Well," Mina said, "We have to be blunt about this. We need Tuxedo Mask. If something goes wrong, we need him to be our back up."

            "I know." Serena replied, "Maybe you guys could call him. He'll come if he knew it had something to do with the Negaverse."

            "You guys aren't going to be awkward or anything will you?" Lita asked, hesitating.

            Serena shook her head, "No. We're friends still, I guess."

            "All right," Ami said picking up the phone, "I'll call him."

*          *          *

            While they waited for Darien to arrive, they made out their plans, with the help of Luna and Artemis.

            "The Negaverse seems to be gathering their forces in the mountain forest." Luna spoke up.

            "That way, they can hide their numbers." Artemis agreed.

            "Then we'll have to go to the forest and find them." Serena decided.

            "But the forest is so big!" Lita exclaimed, "How will we be able to find them there?"

            The others thought about this.

            "We could split up, we'd make better time." Ami suggested.

            "Good idea, Ami." Rei agreed, "But we should have at least two per team. Going alone can be dangerous."

            "Right, we have six people. We could just make three groups of two." Ami added.

            "What's this about groups?" a voice interrupted behind them. They all turned. Darien was standing in the doorway.

            "Hello Darien." They greeted him.

            "We were just discussing about going to the forest and finding the Negaverse's hidden troops." Lita told him.

            "Hidden troops?" Darien asked even more confused.

            "Both Artemis and I have been able to feel their presence in the mountain forests. If we let the Negaverse keep building their forces up, we'll certainly be outnumbered." Luna replied.

            "Right, but since the forest is so big, we have to spilt up into groups to search for them." Mina continued.

            "We figured if we spilt up into three groups of two, we'd be able to cover more ground but still have some safety in numbers." Rei finally finished. There was a moment of silence as Darien absorbed all this new information.

            "When do you think we should leave?" he finally asked.

            "As soon as possible." Luna replied rather firmly, "Wouldn't you agree, Serena?"

            The young woman hadn't spoken ever since Darien had arrived. Now everyone looked at her. Darien's eyes seemed to show more kindness than before and an almost pleading look.

            "I think that would be the wisest decision." Serena finally replied thoughtfully, purposely avoiding Darien's gaze, "The sooner we find these troops, the more time we'll have to defeat them."

            "Do you have a map of the mountain range?" Ami asked, thinking ahead, "We should plan out what land we should cover and who we should pair together."

            "Yeah," her voice sounded quiet, and small. She got up and examined her shelf. "It should be somewhere in here." She deftly picked out a map, handing it to Ami. The smartest of the sailor scouts opened the map up. Everyone crowded around to see.

            "This is a lot of area to cover." Ami was saying. Suddenly there was a cry from outside.

            Serena quickly got up, "I'll see what it is." She said to the others. She ran quickly to the front door. The others turned back to their study of the map. Serena opened the door slowly, looking outside for any signs of trouble. Suddenly, she found a small figure clinging to her leg. She looked down surprised. It was a little girl. She had bouncing pink hair that was tied into two little pigtails. She wore a small blue dress that had large pink ribbons on it. The outfit was torn in many places and covered in dust.

            "Rini!" Serena exclaimed, kneeling down, "What happened? Why are you here?" She quickly closed the door and picked up the small child. Rini was a girl from the future, the daughter of Queen Serenity and the King of the Earth, who were Serena and Darien in this time. They had only discovered this a couple months ago and had sent Rini back to the future to live with her parents, since it was thought Serena and Darien were too young to take care of their daughter yet.

            "Mommy!" Rini exclaimed quickly clasping Serena around the neck.

            "Come now, Rini." Serena said quickly wiping away the little girl's tears. "It's all right, everyone is in the other room. Why don't we go there, and then you could explain this to us, all right?"

            Rini nodded, "Is Daddy here too?"

            Serena nodded hesitantly, "Darien's here." She picked the little girl up, "Let's go." The others were talking still when the two entered the room. Mina looked up for a moment, acknowledging them, then she turned back to the discussion. As if suddenly realizing what she'd seen she turned around again, in surprise.

            "Rini!" she exclaimed. At this, everyone looked up.

            "Rini," Ami said getting up, "What are you doing back here in this time?"

            "Mommy and Daddy sent me back again." Rini replied, she was still crying. 

            Serena wiped the tears away. "It's OK, Rini." She said, "You look tired, why don't I take you upstairs to your old room? After you've rested, you can explain this to us."

            Rini nodded tiredly, burying her head into Serena's shoulder. Then she looked up again, "Can you come too, Darien?" she asked hopefully. Serena looked at the young man. He seemed hesitant, but then he smiled and nodded. The two of them made their way up the stairs.

            "I'm scared, Serena." Rini finally said, "I'm really scared."

            "I know," Serena replied, "But you're safe now, all right?"

            The little girl just nodded. Serena laid the child down onto her bed. Rini looked up at her future parents standing next to her bed. Then she sighed happily.

            "I missed you guys." She finally said.

            Serena laughed, "We missed you too, Rini." She said. She bent over and gently kissed the girl on the forehead. "Now get some rest."

            "Will you still be here when I wake up?" Rini asked, looking at Darien. The young man looked over at Serena.

            "Um, yeah." He finally said, "I will be."

            She seemed satisfied at this, and closed her eyes. Almost immediately she was asleep. Serena watched Rini sleep for a moment. She felt tears well up in her eyes; finally she turned and began to make her way downstairs. A gentle hand on her shoulder told her to stop. She turned around, seeing Darien.

            "We _are still friends, right?" he asked, looking at her curiously._

            Serena nodded, "Yes, I guess. Good friends." She looked at Rini, and sighed. "She looks so angelic when she's sleeping, doesn't she?"

            Darien turned and looked at his future daughter, "Yes, she does. She really does."

            Serena sighed again, "We should probably go and finish our planning."

            Yeah," Darien agreed, following her out of the room. He stopped her again on the stairwell.

            "You aren't mad at me, are you Serena?" he asked, there was genuine worry in his voice, "I don't want to hurt you."

            Serena smiled, "How could I be mad at you Darien?" she asked, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. However, her voice still held a tone of pain and sorrow in it. The two finally joined the other scouts.

            "Rini's asleep." Serena announced to them.

            "Great!" Lita said getting up, "We also decided the groups and the territories we'd cover."

            "We figured you'd probably want to take Rini with you, Serena." Ami continued.

            Serena nodded, "Definitely, it's not safe leaving her alone."

            "So we put you and Darien in a group, so that Rini could have both of you," Mina added, "Rei and I will be on a team, Lita and Ami will be a team."

            "Sounds good." Darien replied coming over to examine the map. "What have we decided on the area to cover."

            "Well," Ami said taking the map again, "Since the city is on the south side of the forest, we figured that we'd just take the three remaining cardinal directions. You and Serena will take north, Lita and I will take west and Rei along with Mina will cover the east portion."

            "If anything goes wrong," Mina added, "We use our communicators."

            "I advise that we leave as soon as possible. Hopefully we'll be gone by tonight." Luna added.

            "We have a couple hours then," Rei said looking at her watch, "Why don't we go home and get our things and meet back here in two hours."

            "Actually," Artemis said, "We've already prepared packs for you."

            "We are magical cats, after all." Luna added.

            "Each of you has a searching device, a sleeping bag, food, a fire starting kit, a compass, a map, a first aid kit, some flares, and other essential things. Each group will be sharing a tent, so that there are less things to carry." Artemis went on to say.

            Serena laughed, "You think of everything don't you?"

            "Of course." Luna replied rather indignantly, "Now you guys should just go home to get any clothes and things that you need to bring. Be sure not to take along too much, you don't want to have to carry a heavy load all the time."

            The Scouts nodded and soon everyone had left for home. Serena sat down thoughtfully on the couch, finally realizing how tired she was. After the little incident the night before, she hadn't gotten much sleep.


	3. Part I: Broken Promises

**Three**

"I talk of dreams; 

_Which are the children of an idle brain,_

_Begot of nothing but vain fantasy"_

_-- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare_

            Serena watched as Rini slept. The child was like a little angel. So many things had happened in the past few days. The situation with Darien was still strange, but at least they were still friends. Serena hugged her arms around herself tightly, suddenly wishing for his warm and gentle touch. What had gone wrong? She kept asking herself. She sighed and looked down at her watch, they'd be leaving in a half an hour. Suddenly, the little girl stirred. She opened her eyes, seeing Serena. She smiled.

            "Hello sleepyhead." Serena said smiling.

            "Hello Serena." Rini replied.

            "I had a weird dream." She finally said again, "It was about us going into the forest."

            "That's not a dream, Rini." Serena said laughing, "We are going into the forest."

            "Looking for hidden troops?" Rini asked.

            The young woman nodded, "Looks like you already know the details then."

            Rini nodded; "I also dreamt..." she trailed off.

            "What?" Serena asked.

            "Something that would never happen." Rini replied.

            "What was it?" Serena asked.

            Rini looked up, "I dreamt you and Darien broke up. But that's not true is it?"

            Serena sighed, "Well, actually..."

            "Don't you love each other anymore?" Rini asked.

            "I'm not sure." Serena replied, "But it doesn't matter. Darien and I are still the best of friends. And I'm sure of one thing, we both love you very much."

            Rini pondered this and then finally shrugged, "I love you too, Serena."

            The young woman smiled, "Now come on." She said taking the little girl's hand, "Let's go downstairs."

            The others had returned with their few belongings and were in the living room talking when the two entered.

            "Hey Rini." They said upon seeing her.

            Rini smiled. "Hello everyone!" she said.

            "Now, you want to tell us why you were sent back to us?" Serena asked.

            "Well," she looked at everyone, "Something very strange has been happening, and it just started a few days ago. Mommy and Daddy told me that sometimes, they find themselves flickering, almost disappearing. It scares me, because now they are very weak and can't seem to hold onto their powers."

            "Are they all right, otherwise?" Mina asked anxiously.

            Rini nodded, "Yeah, but they sent me back here to check out what is going on."

            "Well, we haven't seen anything out of the ordinary, but we'll definitely keep our eyes open." Ami said patting the little girl on the head, "In the meantime, you can have fun with us."

*          *          *

            Serena watched as the others talked with Rini. She got up and went to the kitchen to fix something to eat.

            "Serena?" it was Darien, "Could I use your phone? I have to call Emmy."

            "Emmy?" she asked turning around, "Was that the girl you were..."

            "Yeah." Darien cut her sentence off.

            "Sure," Serena said, "She'd probably like an explanation for your disappearance."

            She quickly got some sushi from the kitchen and returned to the living room. She was practically mobbed by the other scouts as they realized how hungry they all were.

            "Hey!" she exclaimed, "There's more in the fridge. Go get some for yourself." Suddenly, she wished she hadn't said that as they all made a mad dash to the kitchen. Darien quickly walked out of the doorway, sending a quick glance behind him.

            "What are they doing?" he asked Serena, confused.

            "Getting sushi." Serena replied, holding out her own plate, "Want some?"

            He took one of the many piled on the plate and sat down.

            "How'd the phone call go?" Serena asked, picking out a colorful one for herself.

            "Surprisingly well." He replied, nibbling thoughtfully at his food.

            "Oh." Serena replied, looking down at her plate. "You really love this girl, don't you?" she asked quietly.

            He looked up sharply at her, "I..." he trailed off, "I don't know yet, Serena. I can't be sure. You and I, we're both so young, how can we truly determine that we're in love? I sometimes wondered if our relationship had purely been for the fact that the Moon Princess and the Earth Prince were destined to be together, instead of for love. I'm not sure who I love, Serena, and maybe you aren't either. I mean, think about it, before we found out our true identities, we hated each other's guts... we were almost forced together."

            Serena turned her gaze out towards the window, "So you were forced to like me..."

            Darien sighed, "It's not like that Serena. I just... I don't know, Serena. I just don't know. I need a break from this, from us."

            By then, the other scouts had returned.

            "Eat quickly," Luna ordered, "We will have to start out soon."

*          *          *

            The air smelled fresh and cool in the mountains. Trees of all ages surrounded the three small figures, dwarfing them to look like ants. There were both coniferous and deciduous trees and that added a little special flavor to the wind. It was rather warm, though it would get extremely cold once they began reaching a higher altitude. Luna had thought of pretty much everything and had informed them that there were some thermoses and heavy blankets for when it got colder. Also, she had decided that they would get horses, for they were more surefooted and faster in the mountains. Each person had their own horse, and another one to carry their things. Some of the Scouts had thought this was extremely old fashioned of Luna, but after encountering the thought of travelling on foot, they soon agreed. The two cats had stayed behind in the city, to make sure all was quiet while they were gone. Serena and Darien climbed steadily on up the steep mountain. Here, the terrain was rather pleasant; there was a small woodcutter's path that allowed them to climb rather easily. Rini looked around at the different plants and animals they encounter. Soon, the sun was beginning to set over the trees. Serena stopped, watching in awe as the last golden rays of day were swallowed up by the vast, lush, green forest.

            "We probably want to stop in about a half an hour," Darien commenting, stopping to watch the sun as well, "Going at night might be dangerous and we want to avoid it as much as possible.

            Serena nodded. She patted her strong, beautifully black, mare, Midnight. Luna had picked out this steed especially for Serena. The mare had a small silvery white crescent moon on her forehead. Though Serena was known to be the klutz queen, she felt quite graceful and agile on this horse. They seemed to grow together, understand each other. Darien's horse was a strong, large, chestnut named Guardian. It was a patient steed with soft brown eyes. The small gray mare that carried Rini was named Cloud, for its hide reflected the color and texture of the clouds. Soon they night had set in and the stars began to appear. Serena looked up at the sliver of new moon that had just appeared. She quickly dismounted her horse.

            "This will be a good place to set camp." She announced, looking around critically. She took out her scanning device and frowned, "We haven't found anything today. I think maybe the troops were hidden farther up in the mountain."

            Darien nodded, "I agree." He knelt down and began to pitch the tent.

            "Can I help?" Rini asked coming up behind him.

            "Sure." He replied handing her part of the canvas. Serena decided to start a fire. She found a couple of nice, dry, twigs and sticks. She added some moss and grass to it, as instructed by the kit Luna had provided. She lit them quickly with a match. A small flickering flame appeared. Serena fed it with more dry twigs and sticks, soon she had a nice, warm fire going. By then, Darien and Rini had already finished pitching the tent. Serena's com beeped. She quickly pressed a couple buttons and Mina's clear voice came through.

            "Have you found anything?" she asked.

            "No." Serena replied, "What about you?"

            "Nothing." Mina replied, "Lita and Ami didn't have much luck either."

            "All right," Serena said, "Keep in touch. I have a feeling we'll be able to find more tomorrow."

            "Right." Mina replied, "Venus Out."

            Serena sighed. She felt someone tugging at her leg. She looked down, seeing Rini.

            "Can we eat now?" the little girl asked hopefully.

            Serena laughed, "All right." She quickly took out the food from her bag. She led Rini to the fire. Soon, Darien joined them.

*          *          *

            "Venom!" Azure commanded, "What's going on?"

            "Looks like our little scouts are taking a camping trip." Venom replied.

            "We can't have _those two together, alone!" Azure replied looking over at her servant, "Do something!"_

            "I already have," Venom replied slyly.

*          *          *

            The stars were beautiful. Like little lightning bugs they twinkled in the sky, lighting the forest with a warm silvery aura. Serena sighed happily, looking up at them. Now, she could lose herself to the universe. She let go of all her troubles and worries; the only she thought about was the stars. She leaned back thoughtfully against the tree, watching as the stars passed by. The silver new moon lit her face. A beam of light hit her forehead, illuminating the golden crescent moon on it. She closed her eyes, feeling memories flood back, memories of the Silver Millennium. 

            _The pillars were white as snow. She was running through the hallways, she was laughing. Suddenly, she felt someone touch her shoulder. She turned around. A tall handsomely fine young man stood before her, Prince Darien of the Earth._

_            "There you are." He was saying, "I finally caught up with you, your highness."_

_            "Prince Darien," she found herself replying, "Did you want to see me?"_

            "I just," he seemed lost in thought, staring into her deep blue eyes. He leaned forward slowly; his arm was behind her now, supporting her lightly at the small of her back. She leaned into his hold, tilting her head back. His kiss was gentle, and light, but was full of love and care.

            "Serena!" Rini's voice brought the young woman back to the present. Serena looked over at the little girl.

            "What is it, Rini?" she asked.

            The little girl didn't answer but instead sat down on Serena's lap. She dug her face into Serena's shoulder again.

            "I miss Mommy and Daddy." She finally said.

            "I know, Rini." Serena replied stroking the little girl's hair.

            "Serena?" Rini's voice sounded small and tender, "Can I call you Mommy?"

            Serena kissed the little girl on the cheek, "Of course you can."

            "Mommy." Rini repeated again, getting the feel of it. She sighed happily to herself, snuggling deeper in Serena's arms.

            "It's getting late," she said quietly, "Why don't we go to the tent and get some rest?"

            Rini nodded and got up. Serena took a hold of her hand and led her to where the tent was. They went inside. Darien was already there, studying a map. He looked up when they entered.

            "We covered a lot of ground today," he said pointing at the map, "We should be able to find what we need by the end of the week."

            "Great." Serena replied coming over and looking at the map herself, "You think we'll be encountering any youmas tomorrow?"

            Darien shrugged, "Hard to say." He replied.

            "Well," she said beginning to unravel her sleeping bag, "I don't know about you, but I'm going to get a good night's rest."

            "That's a good idea." He agreed, climbing into his own. He blew out the candle that had been providing light inside the tent.

            "Good night, Serena, Darien." Rini's little voice said sleepily.

            "Good night, Rini." They both replied. Soon everyone had fallen into a deep sleep.


	4. Part I: Broken Promises

*Four*

"So quick bright things come to confusion" 

_-- A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare_

            The light had just begun to appear over the treetops. The birds were chirping cheerfully. Serena woke at dawn. She looked at her watch; it was only four o'clock. She sighed, closing her eyes again. She had not had a good night; she kept having this frightening nightmare. She didn't know what it meant, but it scared her. Finally, deciding that she wouldn't be able to sleep any longer, she got up. She looked over at the sleeping bags next to her. Rini was still sleeping soundly, but Darien was gone. She frowned slightly, going outside. Darien was sitting over on a rock; his eyes were unfocused, deep in thought.

            "Why are you up so early?" she asked him, sitting down next to him.

            "I could ask you the same question." He replied, looking thoughtfully over at her.

            Serena shrugged. She looked off in the distance. "Is that smoke?" she asked suddenly. He looked towards where she was pointing and frowned slightly.

            "Maybe we'll find what we're looking for sooner than we thought." He finally said getting up. Serena followed him. They crept stealthily and quietly towards where the smoke was rising. Soon, they reached a small camp. There was a small fire in the middle; some things were neatly stacked up around it. A woman stepped out of the tent and bent over the fire. Serena recognized her immediately, the girl from the other night.

            Darien quickly stood up, "Emmy?" he called out. The woman turned in surprise. Upon seeing them, she smiled and waved.

            "Hello Darien!" she greeted them, "I don't believe we've met." She said looking at Serena.

            "I'm Serena." The young woman said extending a hand, "Darien's friend."

            "Nice to meet you." Emmy said taking it, "the name's Emmy."

            "What are you doing here?" Darien asked.

            "Well," the other woman said looking up with her clear, green eyes, "After you said you were going camping, I decided it was a good idea. I figured you could use some company," she looked at Serena, "I wasn't aware that you already had some."

            Darien blushed.

            "Oh, me?" Serena said, trying to smooth things out, "No. We're actually doing some research in the forest. I'm, uh, Darien's research partner."

            "Oh!" Emmy said, slightly embarrassed.

            "That's all right," Darien replied, shooting Serena a look of gratitude, "You can still join us if you want, but I'm afraid it won't be very interesting."

            "That's all right." Emmy said, "I'll do a little research of my own then, I'm sure I can keep busy."

            "Our camp is just a little ways that way." Serena said pointing in the direction, from which they came, "I'm, uh, going to go check on some things." With that she quickly headed back towards the camp. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Emmy was so beautiful, and Darien was right, she was more mature than Serena. Yet, when Serena was around her, she couldn't help but like her. Serena sighed, Emmy was perfect, there was no way that Darien could resist her. When she got back to the camp, Rini was up, sitting by the fire. When she saw Serena she quickly got up.

            "Where were you?" she asked.

            "We ran into one of Darien's friends." Serena replied, sitting down next to the fire.

            "His new girlfriend?" Rini asked, her eyes full of remorse.

            Serena nodded slightly, "She actually is very nice, and I want you to be nice to her. As far as she's concerned, I'm Darien's research partner."

            "What about me?" Rini asked, a twinge of amusement seemed to cross her face, "I can just be your cousin again."

            "All right," Serena replied, "Whatever you want."

            "Is she beautiful?" Rini asked, after a moment of silence.

            Serena nodded.

            "More beautiful than you?" Rini asked again.

            Serena laughed, "I'm not beautiful, Rini."

            "Yes you are." The little girl said seriously, "You are very beautiful. You're the most beautiful person I know."

            Serena laughed again, "Rini, you are very amusing, did you know that?"

            By then Emmy and Darien had returned, arm in arm.

            "Emmy," Serena said motioning to Rini, "This is my little cousin, Rini. She insisted on coming along with us."

            "Nice to meet you, little lady." Emmy said smiling, "I'm Emmy."

            Rini smiled nicely.

            "You know, if I didn't know any better," Emmy joked, "I'd think you guys were a family or something."

            Darien looked at Serena uneasily.

            "Let's get started." Serena said, trying to keep the conversation going.

*          *          *

            "Excellent." Azure congratulated her servant, "Venom, you are brilliant."

            "Thank you, your Majesty." Venom replied with a bow.

            "I think, maybe we should spruce this up a little." Azure said thoughtfully, "Give our little heroes something to think about. Send out the youmas."

            "At once, your Majesty." Venom replied again.

*          *          *

            Lita sat proudly atop her strong sandy colored horse. She lifted her head higher, peering into the sunlight.

            "Ami," she warned, "There are youmas over there."

            "What?" The young woman asked, immediately looking around thoughtfully.

            "You ready?" Lita asked, already dismounting.

            Ami nodded, taking her star key from her neck.

            "Mercury Star Power!" she commanded.

            "Jupiter Star Power!" Lita added.

*          *          *

            The wind blew suddenly, chilling the air around the two figures and their horses. Mina looked up, sensing something wasn't right. She searched the horizon warily.

            "Something's not right." Rei said, voicing the same suspicions.

            "Definitely not right." Mina agreed. Soon, the two Scouts were surrounded by youmas.

            "Venus Star Power!" Mina exclaimed.

            "Mars Star Power!" Rei said simultaneously.

*          *          *

            Serena rode silently. Rini sat in front of her, holding onto the pommel of Midnight's saddle. Emmy was riding Rini's Cloud. Suddenly the horse whined nervously. The young woman patted the beast soothingly on the neck, reining it to a stop. She looked up at the sky. The sun was just beginning to crest over the treetops. There was something strange about the air. It was so still, menacingly dead. Yet, Serena still felt a chill go up her spine, as if cold fingers had brushed her hand. Darien and Emmy rode on, unnoticing. Serena dismounted, giving Midnight another pat on the neck.

            "What is it, Serena?" Rini asked anxiously.

            "Youmas." Serena replied quietly, "You ride ahead. I'll take care of this."

            Rini nodded silently, "Be careful."

            "I know." Serena replied. She waited until Rini was a good distance away. She took the locket from her uniform and opened it. The amazingly clear Silver Crystal shimmered under the faint sunlight.

            "Moon Crystal Power!" Serena held the locket up in the sky.

*          *          *

            Darien talked adamantly with Emmy. They had so much in common. She was so beautiful, and smart. He couldn't resist the way her hair seemed to fall carelessly around her face, framing it. And her laugh, it was like a tinkling bell, so sweet and so exquisite. He sighed happily, lost in thought. He heard hoof steps next to him, but they seemed so far away, all he could think about was Emmy.

            "Where's your friend?" she suddenly asked.

            Darien turned around, seeing Midnight. But Serena was no where to be seen. Only Rini was riding in the saddle.

            "Serena is examining some things." Rini replied, "She said she'd catch up with us in a little while."

            "Oh, all right." Emmy seemed to accept this, and again they began to talk. Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder cracked in the sky. The horses reared in anxiety. Darien held on tightly, trying to keep Guardian calm. He looked up worriedly at the sky, but there were no clouds.

            "Hello, campers." A cynical voice said ahead of them. He quickly turned to look. There were dozens of Negaverse youmas standing in front of the horses.

            "Mind if we have some fun?" one asked.

            Emmy screamed. Darien looked around helplessly.

            "Stop right there!" a commandingly strong voice declared from somewhere above. Darien looked up, seeing a familiar figure balanced so precariously on top of a large tree. He smiled slightly; everything was going to be all right.

            "Sailor Moon!" Emmy exclaimed, "I can't believe it!"

            "Come on." Darien said, remembering where he was. "Let's get out of here." He led the four horses to a safe place in the trees. There the three people watched.

*          *          *

            Lita kicked a youma full in the stomach. "That'll teach you to mess with Sailor Jupiter!" she declared.

            Ami grabbed a handful of soil, hurling it into the face of the nearest youma. "Sailor Mercury always wins!" she said defiantly. She jumped out of the way as another youma rushed her. "Don't you guys ever learn?" she complained, dodging youmas nimbly.

            "Apparently not." Lita replied, laughing. She chopped a youma to the ground, catching another one with an well-aimed kick.

            "Enough of this!" She said finally, "You are beginning to annoy me!" She turned to Ami with a small grin of satisfaction, "Would you do the honors, Sailor Mercury?"

            "I would be delighted to, Sailor Jupiter." Ami replied with a smile. She turned to face her enemies.

            "Ice Bubbles Blast!" she commanded, freezing all her enemies quickly.

            "Supreme Thunder Crash!" Lita added, shattering all the youmas like dust to the ground.

*          *          *

            "You don't want to make me angry." Rei bit out under her teeth as she wrestled with a youma.

            "You got that for sure." Mina replied, fending off a couple herself.

            Rei hit the youma straight in the nose, sending him flying. She turned around; "Who else wants some?" she challenged.

            Mina laughed, kicking one defiantly herself; "You don't want to mess with the Sailor Scouts."

            One youma lunged at her, sending her sprawling to the floor. "Hey!" she said, getting angry, "That wasn't very nice." She got up, "Well, if you're going to be that way, I don't have a choice."

            "Venus Love Chain!" She commanded.

            "Mars Firestorm Flash!" Rei added. The youmas were burnt to a crisp.

            "Well that was refreshing, wouldn't you say Sailor Mars?" Mina said surveying the damage.

            "I thought it was rather fun, Sailor Venus." Rei replied with a grin.

*          *          *

            The youmas looked up at Serena, finding their target.

            "I am Sailor Moon!" she declared, "the Champion of Love and Justice! You have come to harm innocent people! Now, in the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" Like a lightning bolt, she flipped nimbly to the ground. Within seconds, youmas were piling on top of her. She swept her arm quickly around her in a circle, sending them all flying away. One youma rushed her, running straight at her, aiming to knock her over. Serena stepped nimbly aside, catching the fool in the stomach with her foot. She jumped up quickly, letting the youmas pass under her. Turning around, she surveyed everyone critically. Finally she spread her palms out quickly. A beautifully crafted scepter appeared in her hand.

            "Moon Scepter Activation!" she commanded. She swept the weapon in a wide circle, radiating deadly beams of light in all directions. The youmas cringed away in fear and were destroyed. She smiled satisfied. She turned to leave.

            "Sailor Moon!" someone called her. She turned around, surprised. It was Emmy. Emmy smiled quickly running to grasp both of Serena's hands.

            "That was great!" Emmy said, her shimmering eyes showed her enthusiasm.

            "Uh, thanks." Serena replied awkwardly, "Just doing my job."

            "Thank you, Sailor Moon." Another familiar voice added. Darien had joined Emmy now. Darien winked slightly at Serena.

            "Your Welcome." She replied warmly, then she turned quickly disappearing as mysteriously as she appeared.


	5. Part I: Broken Promises

*Five*

_"Oh Starry Night,_

_Is he the one that I dream of?_

_Oh Starry Night,_

_How will I know,_

_Will his love show,_

_Is he my own true love?"_

_-- Oh Starry Night from the Sailor Moon Soundtrack_

            The rest of the day was uneventful. Serena rode in silence, listening to Darien and Emmy's conversations. They talked about many things, physics, the weather, camping, researching, and the list went on and on. They never seemed to tire of talking to one another. Serena oftentimes found herself lost; she couldn't understand what they were talking about. Now she realized that Emmy was not only beautiful, but she was also extremely smart. She sighed, feeling a twinge of jealousy. It just wasn't fair! She had given her heart to Darien, and she had loved him so much.... and she still did. That was the problem. She still loved him so desperately yet he didn't even seem to notice her anymore. Soon, the night had begun to fall. They arrived at a small, clear stream. They decided to camp here, near a good water supply. Serena knelt carefully taking a drink. The water was fresh and cool; it quenched her dry, parched throat. She suddenly realized how thirsty she was. The stream was rather shallow at the edges, but towards the middle, it was quite deep. The water flowed rather slowly; it would be a good place to take a swim or a bath. Darien and Emmy sat further upstream. Rini was sitting by the fire, reading a book that she had brought along. Suddenly, there was a splash and then a scream behind her. Serena turned quickly. Emmy had fallen in the stream.

            "Help!" she screamed, "I can't swim." She floated towards where Serena was sitting. Without thinking, the young woman dived quickly beneath the ripples of the water. The water was cold, but somewhat refreshing. Serena floated up, breaking over the water's surface. She swam quickly towards Emmy, fighting the slow but steady current as she went. Just as her muscles were about to give in, she grabbed a hold of Emmy's shoulders. Looking towards the bank, she swam backwards, with Emmy in tow.

            "Hold on." She told the other woman. Soon, she reached the bank. She helped the other woman get up and the two of them walked onto the dry, welcoming grass.

            "That was a bad time to go for a swim." Serena commented as they both collapsed on grass.

            "Thank you, Serena." Emmy replied, gasping for air. Darien was already there.

            "Are you all right?" he asked Emmy worriedly. 

            The young woman nodded, "Thanks to your quick thinking friend."

            Serena dragged herself back to the warm fire. Her muscles were extremely tired from the hard fight upstream. She let herself collapse somewhere near the fire. She was still breathing heavily. Finally, after a couple seconds, she got up into a sitting position. She tucked her legs into her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees, letting the fire warm her. She was shivering from the cold and her muscles were trembling at the same time. She felt something soft and heavy being put around her shoulders. She looked up wearily. Darien smiled down at her, wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

            "Are you all right?" he asked.

            Serena nodded tiredly.

            "Thanks," he said, "That was a really brave thing to do."

            Serena chuckled, "Brave? Darien, when was the last time you called me brave?"

            He smiled, but didn't reply. He brushed some hair out of her eyes. He seemed to just stare at her for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but then he just smiled warmly and left.

            Serena sighed. She quickly untied the bands that held her hair up into two braids. Darien used to always make fun of her for this hairstyle; he called her "meatballhead." She put the bands around her wrists and shook her heavy, wet hair quickly. When it wasn't tied up, her shimmering golden hair nearly brushed the floor. She pulled it all to one side, letting it drape over one of her shoulders. She played with a couple strands for a while. Finally, she got up tiredly. Rini was still in the tent, reading her book. She looked around for Darien and Emmy. They were sitting, leaning against a rock next to the fire. Emmy was also wrapped in a heavy blanket. She curled up next to Darien, her head rested lightly against his chest. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head lightly and squeezed her arms gently. Emmy smiled, lifting her head up and tilting it. He bent down gently and kissed her warmly on the lips. Serena looked away, she couldn't bear it. She walked away from the camp slowly, melting into darkness of the forest. After she was a safe distance from the small camp and the fire, she let herself go. She cried and sobbed. The salty wet tears dripped heavily down her cheeks, falling aimlessly to the ground. She didn't bother to wipe them away; she just let them fall. She was shaking; her sobs ran through her whole body. She felt an ache deep in her chest, down in her heart. It wrenched with pain. She had never thought she'd ever feel this way, but now she knew what it was like to be heartbroken. She looked at her hands; they were so small and pale. On one finger, was an exquisitely fine golden ring. Darien had given this to her, a long time ago. She took it off regretfully and let it fall to the ground. Her hair fell in front of her face, but she didn't brush it away. Suddenly, she felt so small, so alone, and she was scared. She couldn't stop crying; her body shook silently as she sobbed. She cried quietly, never making any noise, but the loud sound of her heart beating rang in her ears. She didn't know how long she sat there and cried, she didn't even care. Finally she had cried so much that she felt so unbelievably tired. The fire had already been put out by that time. The only light was that of the moon and the stars. She lifted her tear-streaked face towards the sky. The moon was gray tonight; it didn't glow with its usual bright, silver luminescence. Tonight, it too was sad, and unhappy. Giving out one last sob, Serena curled up into a tight ball, wrapping the blanket around her. Soon, she had fallen into a deep, sorrowful sleep.

*          *          *

            The sun was just coming up. The ground was soft and moist. Serena could feel the warm rays of the sun already hitting her face. Someone was sitting next to her, shaking her slowly awake.

            "Serena?" the voice sounded distant, "Serena, wake up."

            She opened her eyes slowly; they were puffed up from all the crying the night before.

            "Serena?" this time, the voice was closer.

            She shook her head groggily. She uncurled her body slowly. She looked up; trying to see whom it was that woke her. Finally, her eyes focused.

            "Darien?" she asked in a certain disbelief.

            He looked at her worriedly, "Serena, where did you go last night?"

            "I..." she began to answer, "I was here, last night."

            "Everyone's looking for you." He said, "Why didn't you come back to the tent?"

            "I don't know." She replied putting a small hand to her forehead, looking down at the ground.

            He gently lifted her chin up with his hand; he examined her. "You were crying." He finally concluded.

            Serena wiped her puffy eyes.

            "Serena," his tone now was extremely worried, "What's wrong."

            "Nothing." She lied quietly. She got up slowly, letting her stiff leg muscles stretch. He got up as well. As if noticing something, he bent down.

            "Maybe not." He replied just as quietly. He held out the small golden ring.

            She took it back slowly, "I must have dropped it." She said, feinting surprise. She slipped it back onto her hand.

            He looked at her, his eyes showed sorrow and regret, but she avoided his gaze.

            "I never wanted to hurt you, Serena." He finally said.

            Serena looked away, "No one ever wants to hurt anyone." She replied after a long awkward silence. Now she looked straight at him, "But they end up doing it anyway."

            He seemed stung by this answer. She turned and walked steadily back towards the camp. He caught up with her, matching her pace.

            "I'm sorry." He said as they two walked.

            "I know." Serena replied, "I know."

            Before he could say anymore, they had arrived back at the camp.

            "Serena!" Rini exclaimed upon seeing her.

            Serena forced a smile and caught the little girl in a warm hug, "Hey, Rini. Did you sleep well last night?"

            "Yep." Rini said, "Let's get going. I want to ride!"

            Serena let herself laugh a little, "All right," she said taking her hand, "Why don't you go over and talk with the horses? I have to help pack things up."

            Rini nodded. Serena watched the little girl run enthusiastically towards the horses. She sighed longingly, then turned and began to pack things up. She went into the tent and quietly began to gather her things. She rolled up her sleeping bag and began to tie it. Emmy was cleaning up the fire. Darien came into the tent and began to roll his own sleeping bag as well.

            "Maybe you want something to eat before we leave?" he asked quietly.

            "I'm not really hungry." She replied putting the sack into its bag. She got up and began to gather other things.

            "You'll need the strength, today's ride is going to be pretty long." Darien insisted.

            "I'll be fine." She replied, "Yesterday's ride was just as long."

            "Really?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

            Serena nodded, "around fourteen hours or so."

            "It didn't seem that long." He said, more to himself than to her.

            Serena sighed as she finished packing her things. She gathered it and walked outside. She secured it tightly to the packhorse. She stood thoughtfully for a moment.

            "Rini," she finally decided, "Tell the others that I'm out for a little refreshing ride. I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

            Rini nodded. Serena quickly jumped onto Midnight's back. They were off like a lightning bolt, shooting through the air. She felt like she was flying, she was moving so fast. The wind blew her hair back and whipped against her face. She felt so free, so great. Midnight enjoyed the ride too, galloping at full speed. She neighed happily. The mare's hooves barely touched the ground. She raced sure-footedly on and on. Finally, Serena reined her in, slowing her to a canter and then a trot. She turned the wild black mare around. They trotted back merrily. Soon, they arrived back at the campsite. Serena hopped off quickly, giving the horse an affectionate pat on the neck. She took the bridle and led the horse to the stream letting the mare drink steadily.

*          *          *

            "This is going a lot better than I thought it would." Azure said wickedly watching her viewing screen, "Our poor little princess is feeling melancholy."

            "I'm glad I please you, my mistress." Venom stepped out, "Though I do have to give most of the credit to the lovely Emmy."

            "She has done a great job, hasn't she?" Azure asked.

            "More that we could have hoped for." Venom replied laughing viciously.

            "How are the other Scouts holding out?" Azure asked.

            "They've been riding strong, but I don't think we'll have to worry about them. We should concentrate on our little royal family here." Venom replied absently.

            Azure nodded, "I suppose you're right."

*          *          *

            The first hour of the ride that morning was quiet; everyone was silent. Darien looked cautiously over at Serena. She was riding calmly next to him; her face betrayed no emotion. This morning, however, he had seen it there. She had tried to hide it, but they knew each other so well he could tell. He had seen the pain in her eyes, her face, her posture. Her eyes had grown less swollen now, after she had them open for a while. But when she had just awakened, it was clearly evident that she had been crying hard for a long time. He furrowed his eyebrows, trying to remember the exact moment she had left the night before. Somehow, he couldn't remember. He felt frustrated. He still cared for Serena; they shared a special bond, a connection that he could never share with anyone else. Yet, in just a couple days, that bond seemed to be stretched, almost broken. She was looking intently at her scanning device and recorded things often on a small sheet of paper. As if sensing his eyes, she looked up at him for a moment. He faltered, quickly looking back out on the road ahead. She went back to her recording.


	6. Part I: Broken Promises

*Six*

"O weary night, O long and tedious night,  Abate thy hours!" 

_--A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare_

            Another uneventful day had passed by already. Serena realized as she saw the waning light get swallowed by the trees. The beginning of the day had been rather quiet. However, inevitably, later on Darien and Emmy got to talking again. Serena had shut out their conversation and just concentrated at the task at hand. They had stopped for a short time to dismount and have some lunch. Rini had fallen asleep in the afternoon, so Serena had to keep the little girl from falling from the saddle. Along the way, her scanning device had picked up many odd signals. She decided she would check them out after she had finished with her dinner. Rini, not being accustomed to waking so early was already falling asleep again by eight. After they had eaten, Serena tucked the child into bed, letting her sleep. She looked at her watch for a moment, deciding that she'd have just enough time to check out those signals. It was almost nine, she was hoping not to go past midnight so that she'd get at least four hours of sleep. She waited for a couple minutes, watching as Emmy and Darien talked next to the fire, like they did the night before. Finally, sure that they weren't paying attention to her she slipped silently into the trees again. She sat down behind a trunk flipping through the data she had gathered during the day. Normally, she was bad at studying and recording, but now it seemed so much easier when she didn't have much to do. She walked out of hearing distance and took out her locket.

            "Moon Crystal Power!" she commanded. Soon, she had transformed into Sailor Moon. She crept stealthily around the forest, trying to find the places she had visited during the day. The night was silent, all except for the constant chirping of the owl. Serena could hear the twigs cracking beneath her feet while she walked. After about a half an hour, she finally figured out a more silent approach to things, moving noiselessly through the night. Suddenly, she realized that she had forgotten her scanner. She sighed, cursing her memory and turned back to fetch the small device. When she had reached the campsite again, it was nearing ten thirty and the fire had been put out. Everything was quiet. Serena walked noiselessly to her bag and began to go through here things trying to find what she was looking for.

            "Serena?" someone said quietly behind her. She jumped with fright turning around quickly. The night was dark and it was hard to see. As if reading her thoughts, the moon shone a little bright.

            "Darien!" she exclaimed. She was confused, why did he always try to find and follow her? "What are you doing up?"

            "I was looking for you." He replied, "You didn't come back again. I didn't want you to spend the night alone outside again."

            "Oh." Serena replied. How thoughtful of him, she thought to herself.

            "What are you doing anyway?" he asked, curious.

            Suddenly, Serena realized that though the moonlight made things quiet visible to her, it was still dim and dark for him. She stepped a little closer, out of the shadows and into the stream of silvery light. He finally saw her Sailor Moon uniform.

            "I'm checking some things out," she replied, "I noticed some suspicious readings today, while we were riding. I'm going to see what's going on."

            "Oh." He replied, "all right."

            "Why don't you go back to sleep?" she asked, "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

            "All right," he said, "Be careful."

            Serena nodded, "I will."

*          *          *

            The encampment was rather small. The tents were made of a tough canvas unavailable to Earth. There were guards posted all around the encampment, not to mention an invisible wall of electricity. Some of the small fires were still going, burning in the darkness. Serena watched; most of the camp was asleep save for the night guards. She stood in the shadows of the trees. Her heart was pounding with fear, yet she knew she couldn't turn back. Suddenly a rough hand grabbed her shoulder, turning her around to face the opponent.

            "Well, well, well," the man snickered, "Look what we've got here!"

            Serena looked around; there was a whole patrol of youmas surrounding her.

            "Sailor Moon," the man snickered, "It's nice to see you again."

            She looked more carefully at the face, seeing a shock of blond hair and crystal clear blue eyes, "Jadeite!" she exclaimed.

            "Nice to know you still recognize me." The man replied.

            "You're dead!" she said unbelieving.

            "Or am I?" He replied. He had his rough hands on her wrist now. He dug his fingernails into it.

            "Ouch!" Serena exclaimed, trying to pull back.

            "Does that hurt?" he replied evilly, "I do hope that it does."

            She kicked out with a foot, catching the man in the stomach. His grasp loosened and Serena pulled back her hand quickly. Her wrist hurt, but she couldn't think about that right at the moment.

            "Get her!" Jadeite commanded.

            Suddenly, there were youmas all over her. She screamed out once, before she was smothered with people. She tried to fight back as well as she could, but she wasn't very tensile.

            There was a whizzing noise next to her and something shot into the crowd, hitting the ground. Serena looked down; a single bright red rose was stuck into the ground. She looked up quickly, trying to find her savior. Before she could call out, she was smothered again with youmas.

            "Stop it right there!" a commanding voice declared. Serena looked up again, finally seeing the figure of a man standing over them on a tree. He had a long swaying black cape. He wore a top hat, and a pristine, black, tuxedo. Over his eyes, was a small white mask.

            "Tuxedo Mask!" she cried out.

            The man swung his long black stick at the youmas, throwing it like a boomerang. It zipped past her, knocking down everyone around her. Serena kicked them away, jumping clear quickly. Tuxedo Mask nimbly jumped down, landing neatly next to her.

            "You followed me!" she accused him, hitting a youma on the head.

            "I couldn't very well let you go alone." He replied with a small smile.

            "How long have you been hiding up there?" she asked, now drawing her weapon.

            "For a couple of minutes." He replied, taking back his as well.

            Serena turned to find her opponent.

            "Jadeite!" she called out. The young man looked over at her, his blue eyes calculating her move.

            "Maybe you'll remember this!" she yelled. Again, she reached up for her tiara.   "Moon Tiara Stardust!" she yelled. She launched the now deadly golden weapon at Jadeite. Radiating beams of light, it seemed to vaporize the youmas that it encountered.

            "This isn't over, Sailor Moon!" Jadeite yelled behind him as he fled.

            "We'll see." She replied rather pointedly. Soon they had disappeared. She sighed, rather satisfied. Taking off one of her pristinely clean, white gloves, she examined her wrist. There were large black bruises all around her small wrist. There were some places where the skin had been broken. She rotated it slowly. It hurt, but she could still use it.

            "You're hurt." Darien noticed. He had taken off his white mask, to reveal his crystal clear blue eyes.

            "I'm fine." She replied, "Jadeite just left me a little present that's all." She slipped the glove back on and looked at her watch.

            "I think we've had enough excitement tonight," Darien decided, seeing the time as well, "Let's go back."

            Serena agreed with a tired yawn. They headed back towards the camp. Sailor Moon jumped up into the air, soaring into the sky. Tuxedo Mask followed shortly.

            "This form of travel is so much faster, don't you think?" Serena commented as they arrived back to the camp in a matter of seconds.

            "Don't overuse it." He cautioned.

            "I know, I know." She replied, quickly returning to her original form. She yawned again, "Good night." She said already walking towards the tent.

            "Good night, Serena." Darien replied, as soon as they arrived inside.

*          *          *

            Mina watched nervously as she hid in the trees. She looked over her shoulder towards where Rei was hiding behind another tree. She lifted an eyebrow in anticipation. Rei shook her head. Mina sighed; she motioned silently towards a small clearing farther away. The two crept silently towards that place.

            "This is an extremely large encampment." Mina said nervously, "We can't take them on alone."

            "Should we contact the others?" Rei asked, looking back over her shoulder for any sign of ambush, "Even with five, we'd have a pretty hard time defeating hundreds of youmas. Azure has a complete army up here!"

            "I don't think we have a choice." Mina replied, sighing, "Let's hope that they can get here in time."

            "I don't like this." Rei decided. She wrenched her hands anxiously "It'll be only a matter of minutes before those patrols get here and find us."

            "I know, I know." Mina replied, "But it's not like the others can get here that quickly!"

            Rei sighed, "Well, let's just hope that they can arrive before we turn into Sailor Burgers."

            "That was a great thought," Mina commented sarcastically. She keyed her communicator on.

*          *          *

            "It's awfully quiet around here." Ami commented nervously.

            "Too quite." Lita agreed. She rode apprehensively, something about the air wasn't right. The horses could feel it; they trotted tensely.

            "Something's not right." Ami shuddered.

            "This is really creeping me out!" Lita said frustratingly. Suddenly, their communicator beeped. They started, frightened at first. Finally, Ami keyed her channel open.

            "Mercury here." She reported.

            "Ami, Lita," it was Mina, "You have to get here fast!"

            "What's going on?" Lita asked anxiously.

            "We've found the bulk of Azure's army." Rei's voice replied, "There are hundreds and hundreds of soldiers. Get here quickly."

            "Where is your location?" Ami asked, "check your compass. We need a bearing."

            "Um," there was a silence on the other end, and then Mina replied, "We're about five miles eighty degrees southwest of the Great Lake."

            "Right," Ami replied already tracing out their location on her map, "We'll be there as soon as possible!"

            "Come quickly!" Rei sounded exasperated.

            "Contact Serena and Darien," Lita suggested, "We'll be there soon."

            "Right, Venus out." Mina replied.

*          *          *

            It was mid-afternoon already. The four people had stopped for a small rest before they continued their journey. Serena sat quietly under the cool shade of a large oak tree, nibbling slowly at an apple. Not far from where she sat, was the stream still winding it's way north. The golden rays of the sun shone brightly onto the clear waters. The stream sparkled and shimmered like flowing rivulet of glitter. A slight, summer breeze blew coolly through the forest. It brushed the grass beneath her feet, making them bow slightly at the heads. It caressed Serena's cheek lightly, and seemed to whisper in her ear. Like a chorus of whispering voices, they seemed to carry a message in their midst.

            "Hail, Serena, the Moon Princess Serenity, future Neo-Queen Serenity. All hail, Sailor Moon!" it seemed to whisper as it blew through the winds. Serena started at these words, she looked up, trying to identify the source of the greeting. She looked over at Darien, who had been sitting, talking with Emmy. He, too, had his face lifted towards the sky in wonder. He looked over at her, one eyebrow cocked up. She shrugged and then returned to munching on her apple. Suddenly, the communication device sounded. She got up quickly, rounding to the other side of the tree trunk where Emmy and Darien couldn't see her. She quickly turned it on.

            "Sailor Moon here." She said quietly.

            "Serena?" the voice held a note of panic to it.

            "Mina?" Serena asked, "What's going on?"

            There was an explosion in the background, "Serena, get here quickly. We're being attacked by Azure's army!"

            "What?"

            "We need your help now!" this time it was Rei, "The Negaforce is strong, we need you!"

            "Where are you?" Serena asked.

            "Mina said we're five miles eighty degrees southwest of the Great Lake." Rei replied; there was another explosion and then screams.

            "I'll be there as soon as possible!" Serena replied, "But I've got a minor complication."

            "What?" Mina asked, this time.

            "We ran into Emmy, Darien's new girlfriend. She's been travelling with us." Serena replied helplessly, "How will I explain my disappearance?"

            "Don't." Rei replied shortly, "I'm sure Darien and Rini will be able to make something up."

            "Come on Serena!" Mina urged, "Lita and Ami are on their way, but we need you. We need Sailor Moon!"

            "I know," Serena replied, already forming an idea in her mind, "I'll be there soon. Hang on guys!"

            "We're counting on you, Sailor Moon." Rei finally said, "Mars out."

            Serena sighed; she peered around the tree. The others didn't seem to have noticed that she had disappeared. She took out her locket.

            "Moon Crystal Power!" she declared. She felt the familiar breezing feeling as the transformation began. She was lifted into the air. She closed her eyes, letting the locket do it's work. She felt the magic waves wrap around her body, forming the white leotard under her uniform. She lifted her hands up, feeling the white, long elbow length gloves appear on her arms. Suspended in midair, the magic wrapped around her legs, covering them with strong red, knee high boots. Her forehead shimmered, and a golden banded tiara appeared over her pale crescent moon mark. The shock went through her head, up to the very tips of her hair. Two, ruby red circlets appeared embellishing her hair. Along with them appeared dangling golden crescent earrings and a red banded choker with another matching crescent moon on it. Finally, she opened her eyes. A bright blue skirt appeared around her waist and then two large red ribbons, one on her chest and another at the small of her back. Finally, the transformation was complete. She landed lightly on the ground. She put one hand up to her forehead and another against her hip, landing in her final pose.

            Without a sound, she leapt like a cat into the clear blue sky. Her natural instinct directed her towards the fight. She flew off quickly, her feet touching nothing but clouds.


	7. Part I: Broken Promises

*Seven*

_"O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!_

_ The more my prayer, the lesser my grace."_

_-- A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare_

            Rini watched forlornly as Emmy and Darien talked enthusiastically. She wished that it were Serena that Darien was talking to, instead of this new woman. Sure, Emmy was nice enough, but it just didn't feel right. She sighed, suddenly wishing that she didn't feel so alone. Looking up into the sky, something caught her eye. Sailor Moon rose gracefully above the green foliage of the great oak tree. On the brave, young woman's face was etched a hard expression of determination and resolve. She sighed, watching as the Sailor Scout soared noiselessly through the clouds and disappeared.

*          *          *

            The battle raged furiously, the youmas of Azure's army rushed like water towards the four Sailor Scouts. The afternoon sun beat down on the small group. They held steadfast, standing in a line. The oncoming army drew nearer and nearer but they didn't falter. They stared determined, into the ugly face of the enemy.

            "Brace yourselves, Scouts!" Sailor Venus ordered.

            Like a great ocean wave, the youmas crashed upon the four figures. The young women were engulfed by the army. Suddenly, a voice broke through the cacophony of battle. "Hold it right there!"

            The army looked up into the sky, looking for the source of the noise. There were murmurs of "Who's that?" and "What's going on?"

            "I am Sailor Moon!" the voice continued. Finally, the small image of Sailor Moon appeared, joining her four friends.

            "We are the Champion's of Justice!" Sailor Mercury declared.

            "We will right Wrongs," Sailor Mars shouted above the noise.

            "And Triumph over Evil," Sailor Jupiter continued defiantly.

            "And that means you!" Sailor Venus finally declared.

            "In the Name of the Moon!" Sailor Moon added, "We will punish you!"

            "We are the Sailor Scouts!" the five yelled simultaneously, their battle cry rising above the sounds of thousands of thundering feet.

            "Impressive," Another voice cut in, "Very impressive."

            The five scouts looked around for the origin of the voice. Finally, they came to see three figures. One had flaming red hair and piercing ruby eyes. The other was a woman, her long flowing blond hair tired neatly back. The last was another man, with flowing white cape and all.

            "I am Rubeus." The one with the red hair declared.

            "I am Zoisite." The woman added.

            "And I am Malachite!" the last added.

            "Malachite!" Sailor Moon stepped up defiantly, "We defeated you and your workers once before. We will do it again! In fact, I do believe I ran into one of them, Jadeite, just last night."

            "Are you so sure you'll win?" Zoisite asked.

            "We will defeat you!" Sailor Mars declared.

            "Yeah!" Sailor Jupiter added, "Where is your other worker anyway? Emerald seems to be missing today."

            "She is busy," Malachite replied, "We don't need her. The three of us can defeat you easily."

            "Is that a challenge?" Sailor Mercury asked.

            "What do you think?" Rubeus replied.

            "All right." Sailor Venus added, "You've asked for it!"

            "Come on, give us all you got!" Zoisite goaded.

            "Ready Scouts?" Sailor Moon asked, looking back at her companions.

            "Ready!" they replied in unison.

            "Attack!" Came the command. Like a crash of thunder, the fire was upon the scouts, engulfing them and burning them.

*          *          *

            The scream carried like a drum through the wind and into Rini's ears. Even she could hear it, though she was still only a child. She looked over at Darien. He was so engulfed in the conversation that he hadn't heard the cry. Again, the scream rang through the air. Rini got up quickly, running towards the young man.

            "Darien!" she called out.

            He looked up at her, confused, "What is it, Rini?" he asked, "Where's Serena?"

            "Listen!" Rini replied. Darien cocked his ear towards the sky. The agonizingly painful cry came again. He got up quickly.

            "What is it?" Emmy asked, getting up as well.

            "I have to go." Darien replied.

            "What?" Emmy asked, surprised, "What are you talking about? Go where? What'd you hear, I didn't hear anything."

            "I can't explain." He replied as a way of apology, "I just have to go."

            "No!" Emmy replied, grabbing his arm, "Not until I get an explanation. What's going on Darien?"

            The young man looked at Rini helplessly. Again, it came, this time the cry was more painful and sharply Serena's.

            "I..." he began trying to think of an excuse, "I'm sorry, Emmy. But I can't explain."

            Emmy's expression became one of pure determination, "You'll have to. I'm not going to let you go until you do."

            "I have to help someone." Darien replied.

            "Who?" she asked, "I'll come along!"

            "You can't," he replied, "It's too dangerous."

            "But that girl Serena can." Emmy said, her voice turning dangerous, "Right? I saw you two come back late last night. Were you guys 'helping someone' or helping yourselves?"

            "That's not it." Darien replied, his eyes begging her to understand.

            This time, the shriek was not just an incoherent scream, but was actually a word, "Help!"

            Rini wrenched her small little hands; the Sailor Scouts were in a lot of trouble.

            "Darien!" she found herself saying, "You better hurry!"

            Emmy looked down at the little girl, her expression purely hurt, "Even the little girl knows? I thought you trusted me, Darien!"

            Darien gave a sigh of resignation, "I'm sorry, Emmy. I didn't want to have to this, but you leave me no choice. I'm truly sorry." With that, he tore his arm from her grasp forcefully. She gave an indignant little cry; surprised at the strength he had used. He ran off quickly, running out of sight.

*          *          *

            Again the fire raged at Serena, scorching her tender skin. She fell to the ground, her hands were held up in defense.

            "Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury, the Scout of Water, commanded, sending the water sprouting again and again at the fire. But it didn't lessen; it didn't go out.

            "I don't understand this!" Ami said practically crying, "Why won't it go out."

            The smoke was choking the other scouts now. Serena felt it clog up her throat. She coughed fitfully, forcing herself to her feet; she rose above the thick layer of smoke. Her eyes were getting teary from the fire as well; she closed them and trusted her instinct. Her legs felt shaky, but she knew she would choke if she collapsed. The other scouts had struggled up as well, realizing the same thing. Serena stepped forward, trying to get through the flames. She raised an arm sending a beam of light out of her fingertips. Suddenly, she was engulfed by flames. She could hear the warning cries of the other Scouts, but it was too late. The flames licked at her body, drying her skin and scorching it. One jumped at her. She pulled back her arm quickly with a yelp. A large red burn mark was on her upper left shoulder. Her legs felt extremely weak now, she fought not to give in. Suddenly, a single rose penetrated the fire, landing at Serena's feet. She cried out in joy. She looked up, searching for that familiar cloaked figure. Finally, Tuxedo Mask appeared through the flames. He had drawn his cape around him; he walked through the fire, unharmed by the licking flames.

            "Tuxedo Mask!" Serena exclaimed, "We were beginning to worry you'd never come!"

            He smiled slightly, "You don't have to worry anymore." He took out a bouquet of roses. He flung the beautiful flowers out at the fire and beyond towards the youmas. Almost as suddenly as it started, the flames went out. The sharp thorns and edges of the red roses struck the youmas, sending them running.

            "Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury commanded again. This time, the effects were devastating. The water washed out the youmas as well. The scouts watched warily as the enemy fled over the trees. Serena coughed fitfully, her throat felt like it was hot on fire, and everything smelled like smoke. Her eyes were beginning to water again.

            "Are you all right?" Darien was next to her, watching her carefully. She nodded. He gave her a small pat on the back and moved onto the next scout. After he had assured himself that no one was very seriously injured, he spoke to them.

            "That was pretty close." He said, "Where are they getting all these troops, and where are they getting the power?"

            "I don't know." Mina replied, "But we're in for a bumpy ride."

            "Yeah." Rei agreed.

            "We should probably get back to our own sectors." Ami said thoughtfully, "Who knows how many more camps like this one there are?"

            "Hopefully not many." Lita replied.

            Serena tried to voice her opinion but found herself choking on more smoke. She began coughing again. Darien quickly laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

            "We should all return to our sectors." She finally managed to say. Her voice sounded rough and scratchy.

            "Right." Lita agreed; she looked over at Ami. The two of them quickly jumped into the air. Soon, they were gone.

            "We'll be going too." Darien decided, nodding slightly to Rei and Mina. He put his arm around Serena's waist and jumped off into the air as well. Surprised, Serena quickly grabbed onto his shoulders.

            "I'm all right, Darien." She said, her voice was hoarse and she found it painful to speak.

            He didn't reply but instead smiled warmly at her and pulled her a little closer. Soon, they landed behind the same oak tree that had left an hour or so ago. Darien still held her up after they had landed.

            "Are you going to be all right?" he asked.

            She nodded. He let go of her slowly, making sure that her shaky legs could hold her. He transformed back into his original form. Serena touched her hand to her locket tiredly, transforming back as well. There was a gasp from behind the great oak. Both of the young people looked up, suddenly seeing Emmy standing next to the tree. Rini was there too.

            "Sorry," the little girl said, "I couldn't stop her."

            "Looks like our secret's out in the open then." Darien said, sighing.

            "You're," Emmy began to say and then she stopped. She looked at Serena, then back at Darien, "Oh my..."

*          *          *

            There had been a lot of explaining on Darien's part after Emmy had discovered who he and Serena were. Serena had been too tired to explain and had gone off quietly to sit next the stream. She washed her face with the cool, fresh water. She found that she was covered in some soot and ash. She decided that a nice refreshing little bath would be in order. Taking off her clothes and then putting on her bathing suit, she stepped into the stream. She untied her hair again, letting the great golden mane flow on the water's surface. After she had decided she was as clean as she could get, she got out. By then, her eyelids felt heavy with weariness. Her left arm hurt, where she had been burned. She grabbed her shoulder painfully. The muscle was sore, and it hurt to move the arm much. She sighed; trying to find the medical kit that Luna had packed. Finally, giving up on the search, she walked back to where Darien and Emmy were still talking.

            "I can't believe it." Emmy exclaimed when she had seen Serena, "You are Sailor Moon?"

            Serena smiled tired, "Unfortunately, yes." She replied.

            "And you're Tuxedo Mask?" Emmy asked turning to face Darien.

            He nodded.

            "Wow," she finally said, "I always thought that you two were," she looked at them uncomfortably, "you know, like," she crossed her fingers, "Tight."

            "We are." Darien replied, "Just in a different way then you think."

            There was an awkward silence.

            "Let's get begin to set up camp." Darien decided finally. The three walked to the clearing.

            Serena's muscles felt sore from the fight earlier. She found herself tiring very quickly. Darien noticed this to. After they had pitched the tent he came over to her.

            "Why don't you take it easy tonight?" he asked, "Emmy and I can finish pitching the camp."

            She smiled wearily, "Thanks." She replied; her voice was soft from both being hoarse and from her tiredness.

            He gave her a small kiss on the cheek and then pulled her into a warm hug.

            "I should have come earlier." He said, in an apologetic tone, his voice was slightly muffled by her hair.

            "You came just in time." Serena replied, "Don't worry about it." His touch lingered as she pulled away reluctantly. She looked up into his face; her eyes suddenly were filled with tears. She looked away, to hide it and walked away. She could hear him sigh and then he had gone back to putting the tent together.


	8. Part I: Broken Promises

*Eight*

_"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"_

_-- A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare_

            The next morning, the small group started off later than usual. They had all been tired and so they woke late. Serena sat by the fire, chewing at a bit of bread. She set it down after a while and went to find the first aid kit again. Her muscles had been very sore when she'd awakened. Her arm was burning and she decided to fix it. Finally finding the small white box in her pack, she applied some soothing cream to the burn and then wrapped it gently with some gauze. She flexed the muscle slowly, wincing as she found it painful. Hugging the injured arm to her chest, she got up carefully.

            The weather was agreeable today, the sun shone brightly in the sky. She sighed looking up, hoping that today would be a good day. Before that notion could even sink in, there was a scream and a crash from the forest. Serena sighed, _Why me? She asked to herself. She ran towards where she had heard the scream. She slowed as she heard voices speaking._

            "You've seen what I can do," an unfamiliar voice was saying, "My armies will crush you and the Sailor Scouts without even breaking out a sweat. Hand over the Jet Stone!"

            "Never!" Darien's voice was strong and unwavering.

            "Do you doubt my power, your Highness?" the voice asked, "Maybe I should give you a demonstration."

            Serena peered around the tree. A woman was floating rather ominously in the middle of the small clearing. Serena recognized her immediately as Azure, another one of the Negaverse workers. She had encountered her a few times before, and knew that she was not as foolish as her predecessors had been. Darien stood staring coldly at her, his blue eyes icy. Cowering behind him was Emmy and Rini. They watched frightened as the Negaverse Queen grinned maliciously.

            "This young woman here," Azure said, curling one finger slowly. Emmy was levitated into the air and then drawn towards the Queen, "She does mean a lot to you, does she not, Prince of the Earth?"

            "She is of no concern to you." Darien replied flatly.

            Azure shrugged, letting the woman drop to the soft ground and then turned her attention to Rini. "What about this little one here?"

            "Leave her be." The young man replied again.

            "No," Azure replied rather cynically, "I think maybe I'll keep this one." She grabbed Rini's chin pulling her closer. The little girl screamed.

            "Don't you dare, Azure!" Serena found herself saying. She stepped out from her hiding place, "Let her go."

            Azure turned her attention to Serena, "Well, well, well. Sailor Moon, what an unexpected surprise."

            "Let Rini go." Serena repeated, her words coming out rather tersely.

            Azure laughed, "What if I don't want to?" she asked, "Do you think you can defeat me, Serenity? I once conquered the Silver Millennium, my power is invincible."

            "I'll just have to prove you wrong, don't I?" Serena replied.

            "Is that it then? Will you pit your power against me, Princess Serenity?" She let Rini go and then brought her two hands together. A great ball of power appeared, floating in her hands, "Do you challenge me, Moon Princess?"

            Serena took a tentative step forward, her hand reaching for her locket.

            "No, Serena." Darien's words were soft, but they were quite clear, "Not here, not now."

            "Come," the queen of the Negaverse said, "Our battle is inevitable. Will you challenge me now, or would you wait a while before we fight?"

            "I will fight you," Serena replied, her fists clenched, "But not today. When that day comes, I assure you Azure, I will defeat you and the Negaverse will be destroyed."

            "We will see, won't we, Sailor Moon?" The queen replied.

            "Trust me, _your Majesty. When you encounter the power of the Silver Crystal, you will fall." The young woman replied._

            "Then until that day." The matriarch replied. She looked at Darien, "Prince Endymoin, Princess Serenity, I take my leave."

            Like a swirl of the wind, the evil woman disappeared. Serena turned, to face the others. "Are you guys all right?" she asked.

            "A little shaken, maybe." Darien said looking down at the trembling Emmy, "But I think everyone's all right."

            Serena turned again, looking at the place where Azure had just stood, "She is really beginning to get on my nerves." She sighed. "We should probably get moving, heading home."

            Darien watched her thoughtfully, "You think we've found all we can here?"

            Serena sighed, turning her face to the sky, "I don't know. But, we can't risk the city. Azure will take advantage of us not being there, she may attack."

            He nodded, "All right. Let's go."

*          *          *

            The trip back was uneventful. They traveled as quickly as they could, at a dead gallop. Even when the night had fallen and the moon had risen, they still rode on. Finally, around midnight, they reached the skirts of the city. Serena dismounted and patted Midnight down. The strong mare was looking up at the moon; she neighed quietly and then nudged affectionately at Serena's face. The young woman laughed, pushing the horse away and then looked back out at the city.

            "Well," she said, "Look's like we made it."

            "Yeah," Darien agreed after he too had dismounted, leading Guardian to stand next to Midnight.

            "That was refreshing." Emmy commented about the ride back as she reined Cloud in next to the other two horses.

            "I'm tired." Rini complained slightly as she walked up next to the others.

            "Let's go home." Serena decided, taking the little girl's hand.

            "Good idea," Darien added taking their things from the packhorses. He looked up at Emmy, still mounted on Cloud, "Would you like me to walk you home?"

            The young woman considered, "No." She finally decided, "I think I'll take a little more time to ride. Riding in the moonlight is fun."

            Darien turned to Serena, "What about you?" he asked.

            She shrugged, taking hold of her mount's reins, "If you want." She replied.

            But Rini felt more strongly about it, "Yes, yes!" she added readily, "Could you please come with us?"

            Darien smiled and picked up the child. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with hope.

            "All right," he decided, "Let's go." He turned to look at Emmy, "See you soon."

            "Right," she replied, "Good night."

            "G'night." He added shortly and then he, with Rini in tow, turned and began to walk towards the lights of the city.

            "I love you!" Emmy called after him. Serena closed her eyes upon hearing these words, trying to hold back her emotions. She watched quietly at Darien's reaction.

            He turned and smiled warmly at the young woman mounted on the gray mare, "I'll call you." He replied. Then he turned back. Serena quickly turned her head, pretending that she hadn't heard the exchange. Somehow, she felt an exhilarating joy leap through her, he hadn't said it back. She let a satisfied little grin creep into her expression.

            "Let's go." He said, beginning to walk towards the city lights.

            Rini sat watching the two her arms firmly attached around Darien's neck has he carried her. Soon, they had arrived in the city.

            The streets were quiet; the whole city was asleep. Rini sighed happily, leaning her head against Darien's shoulder. Serena walked slightly ahead of Darien. She stared blankly at the ground as she walked; her shoulders were slumped forward slightly.

            "Mommy?" the little girl asked inquiringly. Darien looked up sharply, not being familiar with Rini's new form of address.

            However, Serena didn't seem at all startled. She turned around and looked at Rini, "What is it?" she asked.

            "Can we buy some ice cream?" Rini asked, making up an excuse on the spot for her unintentional blurt.

            Serena laughed slightly, "None of the shops are open this late, Rini." She replied, "And plus, we should really get home."

            Rini pretended to sigh in regret and then leaned her head back on Darien's shoulder. Nothing seemed right, this was not right. She decided. Taking matters into her own hands, she wriggled slowly out of Darien's grasp. As soon as she landed on the pavement, she took his hand firmly, leading him so that he was now walking side by side with Serena. She took Serena's palm with her other hand. Forcing her arms together, she put the young woman's small hand in Darien's grasp. The two looked down at her, surprised.

            "This is how it's supposed to be." She said firmly, pressing down slightly on their arms to emphasize her point. The two young people looked up at each other, each one as surprised as the other. Rini watched the two of them intently. Serena shrugged, showing her confusion. Darien looked down at the little girl and then laughed. He showed no attempt to remove his hand from Serena's.

            "Rini," he said, "You are one tough girl."

            She shrugged, completely missing the joke, "Runs in the family." She replied.

            Darien looked at Serena, "She got that from you." He decided.

            "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her eyes turning cold, as she too missed the joke.

            Darien smiled and shook his head, "Never mind." He replied, squeezing her hand slightly.

            So it was like this, hand in hand, the two people walked through the streets of Crystal Tokyo, with a little girl skipping ahead playfully.

*          *          *

            "That little girl is going to ruin everything!" Azure watched her ball.

            "As I told you," Venom replied, "This wasn't going to be easy. You underestimate the Power of Love."

            Azure turned on her servant, "Evil is more powerful than Good. Hate is more powerful than Love."

            "Of course." Venom replied already noting her mistake, "My mistress is always right."

*          *          *

            The streets were still very quiet. The moon shone brightly tonight. Serena sighed happily looking up at the sky. Rini skipped and frolicked up ahead. Serena was acutely aware that Darien's grasp on her hand was gentle, but firm. He watched Rini, now. His eyes seemed more blue than ever now, they were such a beautifully bright aqua. The moon shone down, making his midnight black hair seem to glow with silver highlights. Unnoticing, she stared longingly at him. He turned his gaze to her, sensing that he was being watched. Serena blushed, whipping her head back to stare at the street. However, his gaze didn't fall back to Rini, instead, he watched her steadily with those piercingly sapphire blue eyes. She could feel his curious gaze on her face. Finally she turned back to meet it.

            "What?" she asked.

            His expression was curious and his mouth was curved slightly in a small wondering smile. He seemed to examine her, "Nothing." He finally replied.

            "Oh." She replied, absently biting at her lower lip.

            They walked in an uneasy silence. Soon, they had arrived at Serena's house. It was dark; indicating that no one was home. Serena sighed; her parents were off on a family vacation with her little brother. She had convinced them that a camping trip was more exciting and important. They wouldn't be back for at least a week. Darien eyed the dark, empty, house.

            "Would you like to come in?" she asked politely, she looked at her watch, "I'm not sure this is a good hour to be wandering the streets alone."

            Darien looked at her thoughtfully and then back at the house, "Yeah," he finally said, "Sure." She ran girlishly up the steps to the front door. Bending down, she took a key from under the doormat. She inserted it quietly into the lock and the door swung open. Serena turned on the lights. The three entered the large house.

            "You guys already home?" a voice asked them from the living room. All three turned quickly.

            "Luna!" Serena exclaimed, "You scared us. Yes, we're done."

            "What'd you find?" the cat asked walking forward stealthily. Serena picked the animal up.

            "A large army." She replied, carrying the cat into the kitchen. The others followed. She turned on the light.

            "I was afraid of that." Luna replied, "It seems the new Azure is a lot more clever than the old one. It'll be hard defeating her."

            Serena shrugged, now setting the cat down on a chair, "Either of you want something to eat?" she asked, looking at Darien and Rini.

            "Yes!" Rini replied, "I'm hungry."

            Serena gave a questioning look to Darien.

            "Maybe a little something." He decided looking down at his watch; it was almost two o' clock. Serena nodded and began to take things out of the refrigerator.

            Rini let out a large yawn, curling up in the chair that she sat in.

            "Maybe you want to go to bed now, honey." Serena said, looking towards the tired child.

            Shaking her head quickly, Rini declined, "I wanna eat first."

            Serena smiled, placing a couple platters of leftovers on the table, "All right, but don't eat too much."

            The little girl nodded, eagerly picking away at the food. Serena sat down at a seat next to Rini; Darien sat on her other side. She leaned her head back tiredly, fighting to keep her heavy eyelids open. Suddenly, a gentle touch brushed her shoulder. Looking over quickly, she found herself staring into those two deep pools of blue.

            "You look tired," Darien said quietly, "Why don't you go to bed? I can tuck Rini in later."

            Serena shook her head, "No, I'm fine." She insisted, looking back towards Rini, "I'm fine." She seemed to stare at the table blankly, her breath shallow. Rini nibbled away at her food, seeming engrossed with eating. Darien sat next to Serena, watching Rini. He smiled once in a while, though saying nothing. Serena sighed, breaking the silence.

            "Don't eat too much, Rini." She warned, "Or you won't be able to fall asleep."

            Rini nodded, finishing the cookie she was eating and then stopping. Serena began to clean up the mess.

            "You should get to bed now, Rini." Darien said, smiling gently at her as he saw her yawn largely, "It's pretty late."

            Rini nodded, climbing into Darien's lap. He carried her out of the kitchen.

            "Wait for Serena..." The little girl requested.

            Darien stopped, turning to look towards Serena. She quickly finished putting the dirty dishes in the sink and then joined the two. Luna followed them tiredly, eager to get back to her bed. Quietly the three mounted the stairs, coming first into Rini's room. The little girl yawned tiredly, trying vainly to keep her eyes open. Darien set her down into her bed, covering her with a blanket.

            "Good night, Rini." He said, smiling.

            "Good night, Darien." She replied. She turned her gaze towards Serena, who was standing silently next to the bed, "Good night, Serena."

            The young woman forced a tired smile, "Good night." She said, turning off the light. Rini closed her eyes and almost immediately fell asleep. The two other people in the room quietly backed out into the hallway.

            "It's pretty late," Darien said as he watched Serena silently close the door, "I should probably head home."

            Serena nodded slowly, "If you want," She finally offered with hesitation, "You can stay here for the night. You can use my brother's bedroom." She looked towards him, half hoping that he'd agree.

            He seemed to consider this, looking at his watch. Finally he nodded, "All right." He said, "Thanks."

            "No problem," she replied, leading him to another doorway down the hallway. She opened it, revealing her little brother's room. He stepped inside, looking around before turning back to face her.

            "Good night." She said, heading towards her own bedroom.

            "Sleep well." Came his reply as he watched her leave.

*          *          *

            Morning came all too soon as the Serena blinked her eyes tiredly. She groaned, turning around in her bed, trying to avoid the piercing rays of the sun.

            "Come on, Serena…" Luna had pounced onto her bed, "Wake up."

            "What time is it?" Serena groaned.

            "It's eight o' clock." Came the cat's reply, "Now get up!"

            "Eight?!" Serena exclaimed piling her pillow on top of her head, "Luna, I never get up this early!"

            Luna sighed, rolling her eyes, "Fine then, but the other Scouts have already set up a meeting at nine and if you don't get up soon, you'll be very late." The cat dragged the pillow from Serena's grasping hands, repeatedly hitting the young woman on the head with it.

            "All right, all right!" Serena said, quickly seizing the pillow back, "I'm up!"

            Luna meowed, satisfied, and then jumped off the bed. Serena sighed, yawning as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. She quickly got dressed, throwing on a short black skirt and a pink tank top to go with it. After washing up, she quietly went out into the hallway. Peaking into Rini's room, she saw the little girl still sleeping soundly. Serena headed towards the stairs, passing by Darien's room. The door was closed; Serena assumed that he was still sleeping. She rolled her eyes, muttering about why Luna chose to wake _her_ up but not anyone else.

*          *          *

            "We've only know Azure for a few weeks and already, she's resurrected our old enemies," Rei said, annoyed, "How powerful is she that she can use energy to bring these warriors back to life without harming herself?"

            "We've never encountered anyone like her before," Mina agreed, "We should keep our eyes open. I have a bad feeling that we're in for a long fight."

            "We don't even know how much power she actually has. Ami, can't you check in that computer of yours and do some analysis on Azure?" Lita asked, annoyed that their predicament.

            Ami sighed, rubbing at her temples. She stared at the laptop, lying open on the stairs of Rei's temple. She bit her lip, tapping quickly on the keyboard. Everyone was quiet, waiting for her reply. A series of beeps and clicks were emitted by the small computer.

            "There seems to be a bug in this program that I made," Ami said, furrowing her eyebrows as she quickly scanned through the data, "I haven't had much time to refine it yet. I'll have to go back and look at the coding again, but until then, I think we'll have to do this blindly."

            "I don't like the sound of that…" Mina said, heaving a sigh. She looked around at the others seated beside her on the temple steps, "Hey, Serena, are you even awake?" She asked, exasperated.

            "Hmm…?" The young woman looked up, rubbing her eyes, "Yeah… I'm awake… now."

            Rei huffed and began to scold Serena but Lita cut in, "We've dealt with these youmas before, we should be able to do it again. We just need to get back into the old swing of things. You'll see, we'll be fine."

            "Thank you for your optimism, Lita." Luna said, "But we still don't know exactly who Azure is. Is she related to Beryl and the Doom Phantom?"

            "Hey, guys," Serena suddenly spoke up, "Do you get the feeling that we're supposed to know her? I mean, I keep getting this weird dejavu feeling and it's really bothering me!"

            "Serena!" Rei exclaimed, exasperated, "We don't have time for your little 'insights.' If we had met Azure before, I am sure that we would remember it. Don't you think?"

            "Yeah," Serena surrendered reluctantly, "I guess you're right. But still, I can't shake this feeling…"


	9. Part I: Broken Promises

*Nine*

"Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell" 

_-- Macbeth by William Shakespeare_

            The room was dim, dark, there was no sound, no color, no light. This was how Azure liked it, this was how she had lived for the past centuries of her life. Ever since she had given up her old existence and joined the Negaverse, she had been by herself, no companion, no friend, no one to talk to, this was the way that she liked it, the way that she was used to. She had had friends at one time, been loved, been happy, but that was something of the past, something that she no longer cared about. She sat silently, letting her thoughts wander aimlessly. Somehow, they always seemed to wander to her previous life, one that she had been "happy" in. Throughout the eons, she had retained this memories. Perhaps it was because she couldn't get rid of them, or perhaps she just never tried to. Now, they all began to flood back, overloading her mind with images, images of a faraway kingdom now long destroyed, memories of the Silver Millennium.

            "Princess Azure!" Someone was calling her name. The young woman stood up, dusting her long dress off. She shielded her eyes from the piercing sun above her as she looked towards the building. She waved a hand in the air, trying to attract the attention of the little girl that was calling her name.

_            "I'm over here!" She called, absently running her fingers through her long, wavy, blue hair. As the little girl looked towards Azure, she began to run._

_            "Princess," The servant said, finally reaching a good hearing distance, "Queen Serenity wanted me to tell you that you should prepare for the ball tonight… it'll start in a few hours."_

_            "Thank you," Azure said, smiling down at the little girl, "Please tell her that I will be in soon."_

_            The servant nodded, smiling widely before running back towards the palace. Azure watched as she disappeared into the marble pillars of the Silver Millennium Palace. She sighed, looking down at her hand. On her right middle finger, she wore a small diamond ring. This was to show her rank, to let the whole kingdom know that she was Princess Azure, the second heir to the throne. Her cousin, Princess Serenity, was the Heir Apparent to the throne, being the daughter of the reigning Queen. But should something happen to Princess Serenity, whom most called Serena, Azure would have to take the responsibility of ruling the Moon Kingdom. Azure sighed, hoping that she would never have to bare the burden of being Queen. Her cousin seemed to take it so well, accepting her royal duties and tasks, never asking questions. Serena was far more ready for the role than Azure would ever be. But she knew that it was a necessity for herself to be the second heir, especially in these times of troubles._

_            "Azure!" A familiar voice was calling to her. The young woman turned around, letting her crystal blue eyes wander. Finally, they settled on the figure of another young woman. She was dressed all in white, her dress flowing to the ground and into a train. Gold embroidery embellished the sleeves as well as the neckline of the dress. She wore on her head, a tiara made almost entirely out of diamonds. Around her wrist, was a single golden chain. One of her hands was hidden behind her back. This was the Heir Apparent to the throne of the Moon Kingdom, her cousin, Princess Serenity._

_            "Serena!" Azure called back, smiling at her cousin, "I thought you'd be getting ready for the ball!"_

_            "Yes…" Serena replied, "I was just heading inside when I saw you out here in the garden, I thought I'd walk with you."_

_            Azure smiled, nodding, "All right." She replied, walking towards Serena. The two princesses began to walk slowly, beneath the beautiful shade of the oak trees above. "Where were you earlier, if you weren't getting ready for the ball?" Azure asked, peering at Serena, "I thought you'd be over by the fountain, but you weren't there."_

_            "I had some other things to do…" Serena replied quickly, turning her gaze to the ground. She fumbled with something in her left hand, but she kept hiding it behind her back where Azure couldn't reach it._

_            The other princess smiled, laughing. Quickly, she reached behind Serena's back, grabbing the object before the Moon Princess could dodge out of the way. Azure produced a single, long-stemmed rose, now in full bloom with crimson red petals. "So, how is Prince Endymoin?" She asked, twirling the flower._

_            Serena blushed, quickly grabbing the rose back, "You don't know it's from him."_

_            Azure smiled, "Come on, Serena. I'm your cousin, I'm supposed to know these things. Ever since we were children, you and Prince Endymoin have known each other. Now that you are growing up to be a young woman, it is only natural that you two get together." She grinned, "Seeing as to how I am eighteen  and you are sixteen, I think I have more experience with such matters."_

_            Serena laughed, "You really think so? I mean, sure, I've always known him. I've met almost every single prince in the whole kingdom by now, as have you, but I've always watched him from afar. For Goodness Sake, he's three years older than I am!"_

_            "So?" Azure asked, teasingly, "He might be nineteen now, but you are still the one he has the eye on." She eyed the rose, "The rose is Endymoin's sacred sign, and he would not give it to you if he did not care for you."_

_            Serena blushed, searching for words to retort with, "Well," She finally said, "Enough talk about Prince Endymoin, what about that Prince Galaxia of yours?"_

_            "You mean Andre?" Azure asked, trying to keep the excitement from her voice, "Yeah, I guess I've seen him around."_

_            "Seen him around?!" Serena exclaimed, laughing, "I saw how you two went off into the garden at the last ball instead of staying to dance…"_

_            Now it was Azure's turn to blush, "That was different…"_

_            Serena smiled, "Well?" She asked, watching Azure, "Did he invite you to tonight's ball?"_

_            Azure looked away, trying to hide her smile, "Yes."_

            Serena clapped her hands triumphantly, "That's wonderful!" With that, the two princesses walked into the palace, laughing and joking with each other.

            That had been so long ago, so long that Azure was amazed that she still remembered. A part of her longed for that carefree, happy life, but she knew that it had all been a lie. Nothing lasted, and the Silver Millennium was a good example of that. Azure laughed bitterly, she had been so naïve then, believing that everything was simple, that nothing would change. The centuries of death, war, and fighting had changed her, now she was no longer such a soft nobody, she was Azure, the new Queen of the Negaverse. She didn't need love, or happiness, all she needed was the power running through her veins, keeping her young, and strong forever. Ever since she had gotten her first taste of Dark Energy, she knew that she could never return to that simple life, for as she felt it coursing through her blood, she knew all the possibilities. Nothing could satisfy her now, except for the best. Her fingers dug into the fine upholstery of her throne as she remembered how she had been betrayed, betrayed by her innocence and her faith. She had believed that everything would be all right; she had believed that good could win, and she had lost. No, Princess Azure Moonbeam of the Silver Millennium was dead, only Queen Azure Darkjewel lived now. She would not be fooled, not again.

*          *          *

            Serena sighed, returning back to her house. Her thoughts were jumbled, who was Azure, why did she seem so familiar? She couldn't seem to explain the strange feeling that seemed to take her over whenever she was around the Dark Queen. Was Azure not the enemy? The one who was trying to destroy the universe? But something in her told her that Azure had not always been this way, why couldn't she figure out what was bothering her so much? She bit her lip, frustrated, as she opened the door. Luna quickly ran inside, followed by Serena. As the two made their way to the living room, they were greeted by Darien. He was sitting on the couch, watching Rini sprawled out on the floor. The little girl was watching TV, seemingly engrossed deeply in the plot of Saturday Morning Cartoons. Darien looked up as they came in.

            "So, what's the news?" He asked, getting up.

            "Well, we don't know who this Azure is, and we don't know how much power she has. We only know that she's dangerous." Luna replied, staking herself out a place on the couch.

            Darien frowned, shrugging, "She's only been around for a while. She asked me for this thing called the  'Jet Stone,' I don't know what it is, but somehow, I instinctively reacted anyway. It's as if I should know what she is talking about, but I don't…"

            Serena furrowed her eyebrows in thought, "The Jet Stone?" She asked, "I've never heard of it. I thought that she would be asking for the Silver Crystal… She seems to know me, to know us, but we don't know her. We never showed her our identities, yet she knows that I am Sailor Moon as well as the Moon Princess, Serenity, and she recognizes the power of the Silver Crystal…"

            Darien nodded, "Yeah, I got that feeling too. It's as if she knows something that we don't… this is really bugging me. Somehow, I feel like I've known her before…"

            "Then you feel it too!" Serena exclaimed with excitement, "When I asked the other Scouts, they said that they've never heard of Azure before, but I have this feeling that I should know her."

            Darien shrugged again, shaking his head, "I wish I knew what was going on…" There was a long pause before he finally sighed, "Anyway…" He looked towards Rini who was still engrossed with the TV set, "I should probably get home now." He turned his gaze to Serena, "Thanks for letting me stay the night."

            Serena nodded, "No problem." She replied with a wane smile.

            "Seeya, Rini." Darien waved to the little girl. She looked up for a moment, her eyes finding his.

            "Bye Darien." She replied, waving before she returned her full attention to her cartoons. Serena walked with Darien to the door.

            "Well, I hope that you can get this figured out soon." Darien said, "If you ever have more developments, be sure to let me know."

            "Right," Serena replied, "We will. Ami has been working on a program and she might be able to figure out something."

            Darien nodded, "All right." He smiled, opening the door, "See you around, Serena." He waved before slipping out the door.

            "Bye!" Serena called after him as she walked down the driveway and onto the sidewalk. She watched him walk away, leaning absently against the doorframe. Her eyes began to un-focus, and she realized that her thoughts had begun to wander again, she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. She shook her head, clearing her throat before closing the door and locking it. She walked back into the living room, sitting down and joining Rini in cartoons.

*          *          *

            Azure watched as Darien walked home. She grinned, now was her chance. She looked over at Venom, waving the woman over to her, "Maybe we should stir up some trouble for Prince Endymoin." She said.

            Venom nodded, "Yes, your Majesty." She replied quickly scurrying off to do her mistress' bidding. Azure watched the young man continue down the road. He looked so similar to his past self, though he was slightly younger. He still held that regal, elegant air that only a prince could possess. She grinned, remembering when she first saw Serena. The girl barely retained any resemblance of the Princess Serenity she once knew. There was nothing elegant or graceful about the Serena of today, one could hardly tell that she was of royal blood. She leaned back in her seat, pondering. So they didn't know who she was. Well, that was for the better. The longer she could keep them in the dark, the better advantage she would have. However, a part of her wanted them to remember her, to remember how they had hurt her, betrayed her. She bit her lip, tasting the metallic bitterness of blood. She would not be satisfied until she had her revenge, until she could make Serenity and Endymoin feel the harsh pain that she had felt.

*          *          *

            Darien turned the key deftly and let himself into his apartment. He looked at his watch, realizing that he had spent most of the morning at Serena's house. He shrugged, looking at his answering machine. The display indicated that he had one new message. He keyed the mechanism on, listening to the message:

            "Hey Darien," Emmy's voice came from the speaker, "This is Emmy. I wanted to thank you for letting me come with you on your camping trip. I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm glad that I came. I was wondering if we could get together some time… Please call me back soon."

            He looked back at the clock, again assessing the time. Finally, he decided that he would call later on.

*          *          *

            _The night was perfect, the stars shone brightly in the sky. The marble pillars of the palace were far away as Azure found herself in the garden. She breathed in the cool, fresh air, letting it calm and soothe her. Her heart was beating so quickly, she felt so incredibly happy._

_            "Azure…" His voice was soft and close to her. She let herself lean backwards and into him, "I wanted to tell you something…"_

_            Azure closed her eyes, smiling. She turned around to face him and then to look into those dark, deep pools of caramel._

_            "Azure," He took her hand, "You are the second heir to the Moon Kingdom, a princess of Moonbeam blood. I am only a small prince, representing my planet. What I offer is nothing compared to what others can give you, but I can give you my love, and my heart."_

_            Azure smiled, "That is all I want, Andre." She replied, "I love you, and only you. No one can offer more than what you have given me."_

_            He sighed, "There are tough times coming, my princess." He finally said, "You know that war is breaking out all over the place. This… Beryl, and her Negaverse, she is powerful and she has already destroyed so much. I can't promise that you won't get hurt, but I promise that I'll always be with you."_

            Azure leaned into him, breathing in his familiar scent, "We will always be together, Andre." She whispered, "Always."

*          *          *

            A gentle breeze seemed to flow into the room through the open window. It brushed past the curtains, sweeping past the bed and barely brushed Serena's cheek. The girl sat, her legs crossed, on the floor. Her eyes were closed, her expression one of joy. She was breathing in and out slowly. Luna watched her, her head cocked at an angle. Ever since Serena had returned from the camping trip, she often would sink into one of these strange meditations. Luna almost wished that Serena would become bubbly and jumpy, like she used to be, instead of being so sober.

            "Serena…" Luna finally said, laying a paw on the girl's knee.

            Serena opened her eyes and blinked, her pupils finally coming into focus, "Hmm?" She asked, looking towards her pet, "What is it Luna?"

            "Shouldn't you be doing your homework?" Luna asked, hoping for Serena's usual wailing and complaining as a reply.

            "Oh… right…" Was the reply that she received instead. Luna's eyes widened, was Serena actually agreeing with her? The young woman got up and went to retrieve her books. She neatly stacked them atop the table and began to diligently read through her math homework.

            "You know," Serena chatted with Luna, "I'm glad that I'm going to summer school. Now I can catch up with everyone else and I'll be able to move at a faster pace at the beginning of next school year. I wish that classes in summer school met more often instead of just on Saturday."

            The cat's jaw, though impossible as it may seem, dropped even lower to the ground. Did she just hear Serena _praise_ summer school? Now there was _definitely_ something wrong.

            "Serena?" Luna asked, "Are you feeling all right?"

            "Yes, of course I am, Luna." Serena replied, looking down at the cat, "Now would you please leave me, I need to read this chapter for this week's class."

            Luna shook her head, dazed, to say the least, as she left the room.

*          *          *

            Serena watched as Luna left. After the door had closed, she turned her attention back to her textbook. Her eyes wandered through the different equations and algorithms as she memorized each of them carefully. She realized that now that she'd returned from the camping trip, schoolwork wasn't as hard as it used to be. She could relate to Ami and her irresistible need to study. After a while, work actually wasn't all that bad. Neatly, she began to write out her homework assignment on the lined paper in front of her. Her concentration never slipped and she soon realized that she had already finished her assignment for the upcoming week.

            "Serena…" the girl looked up to find that the cat had returned, this time with some comics under her paws, "I found some of Rei's old comic books in the living room… I don't believe you've read these yet."

            Serena scanned the covers quickly, "Yeah, I haven't gotten around to reading those yet. Why don't you just leave them over there on the dresser, I might read a bit before going to bed."

            Luna didn't reply, she stood, literally, frozen to the tabletop, her eyes as round as circles. "Serena, are you sure that everything is all right?"

            She smiled, "Yes." She replied, "I guess I've grown out of comic books, Luna. Besides, I've got to finish my science homework."

            "Serena!" Luna exclaimed, "You've _never_ done your homework before!"

            She shrugged, "There's a time for everything." She stated, "I don't want to be the stupid one anymore. I mean, Ami will always be the smartest in the group, but I'm tired of being the ditz. I'm supposed to the Moon Princess; I'm supposed to lead the group, right? How can I do that if I don't understand my responsibilities? I think it's time for me to start getting things right."


	10. Part I: Broken Promises

*Ten*

_"What's done, cannot be undone."_

_-- Macbeth by William Shakespeare_

_The music was soft and caressing, floating through the air like a lullaby. All around, people were laughing, talking, conversing about the party. No one noticed that the guest of honor had left; the Moon Princess was nowhere to be found._

_            Princess Serenity stood at the balcony, letting the cool night air flow around her. Today was her birthday celebration, a day to be remembered, but yet it seemed that nothing was going right. She had wanted this night to be special, but it had turned into a disaster. She stared up into the night sky, her eyes fixed onto one of the planets floating the void of space. Earth. She closed her eyes; Darien hadn't come. He had promised that he would be here for her birthday celebration, but despite how hard she looked, he had not come. Her fingers closed gently around the locket in her hand. It was held a beautiful golden glow, shimmering under the pale light. It was shaped into a five-pointed star; a small golden dome glittered in the center. She carefully flicked the dome open and a slow tinkering tune began to play. She let herself be lost in the rhythm of the slow melody._

_            "Serena, Moon Princess!" Someone was calling her name. She closed the locket, opening her eyes. Below the balcony, stood a familiar figure. It was a young man, his hair was jet black but his eyes were a crystal blue. He wore intricately layered armor, designed only for royalty, that was colored different shades of blue, black, and silver. From his shoulders, flowed a long, dark cape that was lined with crimson red velvet. It was Prince Darien Endymoin of Earth, "Princess, I must speak with you."_

_            Serena wanted to jump down from the balcony, to join her prince. Her heart skipped a beat; he had come after all. "Darien…I thought that you had not come." She said, slightly surprised._

_            "How could I miss your birthday celebration, my princess?" He asked, his expression breaking into a small grin, "Especially one so important as your coming of age, eighteen."_

_            The princess smiled, "Oh, Darien, I'm so glad that you're here."_

_            "I can not stay long," He frowned, "Beryl has attacked Earth and the Silver Millennium no longer trusts anyone from my planet. I must leave soon, but I wanted to see you again, and give you your present."_

_            Serena smiled, "Nothing could be a better gift than what you have already given me, Darien. Just by being here, you've made me happy."_

_            "Meet me at the rose garden, princess. I have much to tell you." He said, his eyes locked with hers._

_            "I will." She replied, blowing him a quick kiss before turning to run down the stairs. She passed by the music and the dancing, through the halls of the palace and towards her private gardens. She soon made her way to her largest, and most favorite, collection, the rose garden. Inside, roses of different colors, sizes, and shapes bloomed with life. Already waiting for her there, Prince Endymoin extended his arms towards her. She ran into him, hugging him tightly._

_            "I've missed you, Darien." She said, breathing in his familiar scent._

_            "As I have you, Princess." He said smiling. He produced a crimson rose out of thin air, handing it to her. She took it quickly, breathing in the sweet aroma. Again, he reached into the air, this time, he produced a gem. It was completely black in color, but it glittered under the light._

_            "What is it?" She asked, examining it._

_            "This is my present to you, my princess." He replied, "This is the Jet Stone." At this, she drew back a little, her eyes locked in the jewel. He continued to speak, "It contains power beyond imagination and it has always been in the possession of the Endymoin family."_

_            Serena looked up quickly, "I can't take this from you, Darien. The Jet Stone is the second most powerful tool in the universe next to the Silver Crystal. Its power is too great, it is too much."_

_            "No." He replied, placing it into her hand, "You must take this. It is only half of the actual Stone." He took out another completely identical stone, "I will keep one, the other is yours. This will connect us forever. Whenever you need help, you need only to grasp the Stone and speak my name and I will hear you."_

_            She looked at the stone in her hand. She blinked, trying to assess the actual color of the crystal. Though at first glance, it had appeared black, she soon realized that it contained a multitude of color. Each shade was different, as it blended with the others. It seemed almost alive in her fingers; all the colors swam together, constantly moving. She finally looked back up at Darien. "Thank you…" was all she could say._

_            He smiled, leaning down slowly and kissing her gently on the lips._

_            "The castle is under attack!" The cry rang into their ears, jerking them from their reverie. They both looked up, surprised._

_            "All personnel report to the ballroom, the castle is under attack!" The cry came again, this time closer._

_            Serena clutched at Darien's arm for safety, her expression turning worried. "What's happening?"_

_            He held her closer, looking up at the sky as it began to turn black, "Come on, we must get back to the palace." The two ran, past the bushes of roses and into the building. They made their way down a myriad of hallways and corridors, finally arriving at the ballroom. There were people all over, all dressed in their finest attire. At the head of the room, on a dais, stood Queen Serenity._

_            "Mother!" Serena cried out, running towards the woman with Darien behind her, "What shall we do."  
            "Serena," The queen looked down at her daughter from the platform. Her gaze wandered towards the man standing next to her, "Prince Endymoin, the castle is under attack, we must gather our forces."_

_            Darien nodded, "Earth has already suffered much damage, my father sent me here to help the Moon. Earth is on your side, your Majesty."_

_            "I thank you, Prince Endymoin, for your planet's support as well as for protecting my daughter." The queen replied, "The Dark Forces are descending quickly onto the moon, we must send our finest warriors to take the front before they arrive."_

_            "I will go." He said without hesitation, "I have fought against them before."  
            "And so will I…" Another voice joined in. The three turned to see who had spoken. Before them stood a young man, he was tall; his hair was a dark shade of chestnut brown. His eyes, likewise, were brown, almost caramel colored. He wore silver armor, his sword already drawn. He looked about the same age as Darien, twenty-one._

_            "Prince Galaxia," Queen Serenity acknowledged him, "Are you willing to risk your life defending our kingdom."_

_            "Yes." He replied, his eyes determined._

_            "No…" Only then did the others noticed that Princess Azure had made her way into the group, "Andre, you can't go."_

_            The man turned to looked at her, his arm pulling her nearer, "I must, Azure." He replied, "The Negaverse must be stopped, I must help defend the Silver Millennium."_

_            "I can't lose you, Andre," She cried, brushing the blue hair from her eyes as she stared at him, "Please… Andre…"_

_            "We will not let him be harmed, Princess." The captain of the palace guard stepped forward, "I serve the queen as I serve you, princess. Prince Galaxia will be safe with us."_

_            Azure looked at him, unsure, before reluctantly looking back at Andre. She didn't say anything as she tried to stop the tears from flowing._

_            "Don't worry, Azure." Darien finally said. He looked over at Andre, his friend for many years, "I promise you, no one will be able to harm Andre without going through me first."_

_            Azure sighed closing her eyes. "I trust you, Darien…"_

_            "See?" Andre asked, gently pulling her into a hug, "Everything will be all right. I promise, my love, I will return to you."_

_            She kissed him on the cheek, "I'll miss you."_

_            "I know, I'll miss you too." He replied, giving her another kiss. Finally he turned back to the others, "When do we have to leave?"  
            "In a short while," Serenity replied, "You have a few minutes before the troops will be deployed."_

_            With that the group began to break up, each person going off to collect their belongings or to say good-bye to their loved ones. Andre pulled Azure off to the side, talking gently with her. Serena watched as Darien talked with her mother. She sighed closing her eyes and turning around. She made her way back to the balcony. Darien was leaving, leaving to fight. She tried to push the thought out of her mind that he wouldn't return. She tried to breath in the air to calm herself, but nothing could stop the racing of her heart._

_            "Princess…" His voice was close to her as she felt his arms around her waist. She let herself lean back into him._

_            "Darien…" She said, "I'm so scared."_

_            "Don't worry, Serena." He turned her around so that he could see her face, "Everything will be all right." He held up his half of the Jet Stone, "If you ever need me, remember, just use the Stone."_

_            She nodded, her eyes intent on his face. Finally, she drew her star locket out again. She held it out to him, "Take this." She said, "Remember me whenever you play it."_

_            He took it, opening it. The familiar tune began to play again. He looked at her, cupping her face with his hand, "I'll treasure it always."_

_            She smiled, blushing, "I love you, Darien."  
            "I love you too, Princess." He kissed her, pulling her into him. Finally, he drew away slowly, "I must join the others now." With that, he jumped from the balcony, taking flight into the night air._

_*          *          *_

            Azure sat, dejected, at the gate. The air smelled of sulfur, and the sky was black with smoke. Destruction was everywhere, but the princess' eyes remained intent on one point in the distance. There were flashes of light, color, and billowing smoke emitted from that point, it was the location of the battlegrounds. Her fingers caressed the pendant hanging from her neck, the only souvenir of Andre that she had. She had waited, waited for four long days, for news, for a sign, for anything that would tell her that he was all right. But none had come. There was only the constant flashing of explosions and the thundering of fighting that told her that the battle was still raging. Everyday, she would wait at the palace gate, to greet the envoy of soldiers from the field. These would always be the injured, the weak, and sometimes, a messenger. This time, for the fourth day in the row, she sat patiently, waiting for that envoy to arrive. The winds were beginning to pick up, and she knew a storm was coming, but she didn't care. Finally, the silvery gleam of a ship approached. She got up from her seat, fidgeting still with the pendant. Finally, the door of the shuttle opened and the guards quickly began to come in with their stretchers, to help the injured. Azure watched, her eyes searching for a familiar figure, but she saw none. The warriors kept filing out, finally she spotted someone…

_            "Darien!" She called out, quickly running towards him._

_            The young man looked up, his face worn and bruised. He clutched at his right side with pain, but when he saw her, he began to walk towards her slowly._

_            "Darien," She raced towards him, finally reaching him, "What news…?"_

_            He looked down at her, his eyes searching hers. He began to say something, but then stopped. "Azure…" Was all he said._

_            "What?" she asked, "What is it? Please, just tell me."_

_            "Azure…" He began again, no turning away, "I… I'm sorry, Azure."_

_            "What do you mean, 'I'm sorry'?" She asked, her voice turning shrill. Her arms were now on his shoulders, shaking him back and forth. He winced slightly as he clutched again at his right side, "What happened, where's Andre!?" She asked._

_            "He…" Darien sighed, "I don't know, Azure. No one knows… We were in the middle of the battlefield, the enemy was pouring in from all sides. Andre lunged forward to take on the opposition… There was a flash of bright light and I looked away, the next thing I know, he was gone… he just… disappeared."_

_            "No!" The scream was choked into her throat by tears that were fast flowing down her cheeks, "No… you said you'd protect him. You said that he'd be all right… you promised… he promised…he said he'd return to me!"_

_            Darien watched her, saying nothing. He let her hit him and punch him. Her fists pounded uselessly against his chest. He didn't do anything; he just let her continue ranting._

_            "He promised…" Her voice was becoming weak from screaming as she trailed off. Her legs felt weak and she found herself sinking slowly to the ground. His arms quickly caught her around the waist, holding her up._

_            "I'm sorry, Azure. I truly am."_

_            "No…" She pushed him away violently. She turned, around, her legs carrying her far away. She ran away, away from the injured, from the warriors who had returned, from Darien. She raced into the palace, past people and servants alike. She let the tears stream down her face, not caring to wipe them away. Her hand absently clutched at the pendant still hanging from her neck. She found the stairs and began to bound up them, two or three at a time._

_            "Azure!" Someone was calling her name. She didn't want to stop, but that voice struck a cord in her memory and she had to look up._

_            "Azure, cousin, what's going on?" Princess Serenity was walking slowly down the stairs, her eyes worried as she looked at her cousin._

_            The other princess clenched her fist, suddenly becoming angry. Her voice was cold, her eyes hard as she glared at Serena, "Darien is back from the battlefield." She said, trying to sound sweet, but failing miserably._

_            The Moon Princess almost began to rush down the stairs at this news, but she stopped. "What's wrong, Azure?" She asked, sensing that the mood had changed._

_            Azure stared icily at her cousin, "Darien has returned, but Andre is dead. He's dead, Serena, do you hear that!? Your _precious _prince still lives, but mine is dead!"_

_            Serena looked taken aback, her hand flew to her mouth, "I'm so sorry, Azure."_

_            Azure laughed bitterly, "Sorry? No… you aren't sorry, Serena. You can't be sorry, not until you know what I'm feeling. Not until you feel _my_ pain!" Somehow, her voice had turned shrill again, but Azure didn't care._

_            "Azure…" Serena walked towards her, extending a hand, "I know that nothing can ever bring him back, but please, you can't be angry like this."_

_            Azure drew back, away from Serena's touch. She clenched her fists, tempted to strike Serena. "You don't understand, cousin… you'll never know." She glared at her, "Go." She finally ordered, practically screaming, "Go ahead… go to your prince, you know you want to." With that she bound up the last remaining stairs and rounded the corner. She fled to her room, locking herself inside, letting her pain and anger out as she collapsed into a sobbing heap on the floor._


	11. Part II: A Flicker From the Past

*One*

            Rei walked down the quiet streets of Tokyo as she looked up every so often to admire the changing colors on the trees. Autumn was here and, in a few more days, school would start again. The girl smiled, thinking about how everything had changed so much over the summer. Now, all the Scouts would advance to another grade, Rei was making a lot more progress in the temple, Ami had again been offered a trip abroad, which was, again, refused. Lita had already found herself a new guy who "looked just like her old boyfriend," and Mina was starting up a new acting career this season. Then there was Serena… Rei stopped walking as she pondered about the last girl. Serena had changed, that was for sure, and Rei couldn't tell if it was for the better. Serena was actually being _responsible, which, up until a few months ago, was not even part of her vocabulary. She always showed up on time to meetings, was thoughtful but most of the time rather quiet, and always turned her homework in on time with good grades. Rei laughed aloud, remembering how the old Serena couldn't read a real book even if her life depended on it._

            "Hey, Rei!" She turned around to see Ami walking towards her, "Are you heading over to the temple?"

            "Yeah." Rei replied, "The meeting is starting a about five minutes and I was just running some errands for Grandpa."

            "Great." Ami said, catching up with Rei. The two girls continued walking up the street towards the Cherry Blossom Temple. "I've been working on that program for Azure," the girl said, looking at Rei, "But it keeps getting looped and bugged. I don't know what's going on."

            Rei nodded, "Yeah, that's strange. I mean, for the past few months, Azure hasn't attacked us at all. Those troops that she has up in the mountains aren't going anywhere, but I keep getting this feeling that something is wrong."

            Ami nodded, "Have you been able to get a good reading on her?"

            The temple keeper shook her head, "No." She replied, "It's as if I'm missing a piece, a link. The Fire won't tell me anything, and because I can't find the link. I can't get this straight."

            Ami sighed, "I get the same feeling about making this program. I mean, I've never had so much trouble tracking down the enemy before. Every time I think I've gotten somewhere, I end up having to start all over again."

            Rei shrugged, looking up as they arrived at the temple. "Yeah, I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later." The two quickly made their way up the stone steps, "I think it's rather pointless to have these meetings every week, I mean, there hasn't been an attack for months."

            "But Luna seems intent on keeping us in shape." Ami reminded her friend, "Besides, it's a good excuse for the five of us to get together."

            "Hey, Ami, Rei!" The two looked up to see Serena walking towards them with Luna, "Where are the others?"

            Rei looked at her watch, "Well, the others aren't here yet. The meeting doesn't start for a few minutes, you're here early Serena."  
            The blond shrugged, seating herself on the steps, "That's all right." She looked back up at the other two, "Have you guys been able to get anywhere?"  
            They both looked at each other and then shrugged, "No." Rei replied, "We've been stuck."

            "That's strange…" Luna said, jumping up and down the steps, her voice sounding worried.

            "I'm getting tired of all these peacefulness," the three looked up to greet Lita and Mina who had made their way up the stairs, "I want to get some action." The tall girl said, punching her fist into her open palm.

            Mina laughed, "You know, I'm almost tempted to agree with Lita on that one."

            Rei rolled her eyes, annoyed, "Yeah, well until we know what's going on, we aren't going anywhere."

            "I like having this peace," Serena piped up, "It gives more time to catch up with studying and also have some time to get outside and enjoy the weather."  
            The four other Scouts stared blankly at Serena. Though they were all used to Serena's new "attitude" they had never expected her to be this productive.

            "Well you're in a good mood today, Serena." Mina commented, "Did you talk with Darien?"  
            Serena blinked, raising an eyebrow, "Darien?" She asked, "No, I haven't talked with him for a few days, why?"  
            The others continued to stare.

            "What?" The girl asked indignantly, "Just because I'm in a good mood doesn't mean that it has something to do with Darien!"

            There was no response; only the rolling of Rei's eyes as she turned around broke the silence.

            Serena listened as conversation began again. She stared off at the ground. True, she was happy to have heard from Darien, but she didn't know what really was going on anymore. She knew that she was no longer that jumpy, almost constantly hyper, girl that she was a few months ago. Yet, she still didn't feel that she hadn't changed that much. Sure, she did her studies and took schoolwork more seriously. But, she still enjoyed reading comic books and stopping at the arcade once in a while. Seeing Darien on the street still made her heart beat faster, and a tall glass of ice cream sundae still made her ecstatic. She shrugged; she didn't know _who she was anymore. She definitely wasn't Serena, at least not the one that used to be known, but she wasn't the Moon Princess either. It was as if she had created a new role, a whole new self, one that no one knew, and, it sometimes felt, that no one wanted to know. Everyone seemed to want her to stay the same, dependably ditzy, girl that they used to know. Sometimes, she would giggle once in a while or trip deliberately just to wipe the strange looks that they now gave her off their faces._

            "So… Serena?" Rei's voice was ringing in her head, "Are you even listening to me?"  
            "Huh?" Serena asked, looking up, "Oh, sorry, I didn't hear."

            A smile of pure joy and almost relief spread over Rei's face before she was able to screw it into a scowl, "You're supposed to be paying attention!"

            "We were just talking about Azure and about how we're going to be able to defeat her." Ami filled her in, "I think that if she's not going to attack soon, we need to make the first move. We can't let her just sit their and build her forces, we need to show her that she has to stand and fight."  
            "Do you think we should go back to the mountain and try to provoke those troops?" Lita asked.

            Mina quickly shook her head, "No, bad idea. Did you see how many youmas the have up there? If we go back, we're definitely going to end up being Sailor Pancakes!"

            "Well then what do you think we can do?" Serena asked, looking at the others.

            "I don't know, but we've got to make a move soon." Artemis replied.

*          *          *

            The energy was being fed through the crystal that floated between her hands. Azure watched it, feeling the dark energy go through her body and channel into the void before her.

            "I have supplied you with the energy that you have require, great Negaforce." She called, "Now, give me the warriors that you promised!"

            The void shifted, a strong, almost human voice, began to speak, "You have served us well, Azure. You are rewarded. The ShadowCrystals have been arisen and they will serve you well."  
            Thank you, great Negaforce." Azure bowed, waiting until the void disappeared before rising. She stood back up, her tone becoming more commanding.

            "Zoisite, Malachite, Jadeite come forth!" She ordered.

            The three drew out of the shadows, standing before their queen. "We serve you, my Queen." Malachite said, bowing.

            "Rubeus, Emerald, I call upon you!" The Queen called again. This time, two more figures appeared.

            "You called, my Queen?" Rubeus asked.

            Azure surveyed each of them critically, her eyes sharp, "All of you have either served Queen Beryl or the Doom Phantom who have taken the rule of the Negaverse before me. Under them, you have all failed, and yet my heart is still kind enough to bring you back to serve me. I trust that because I have done you this favor, you will not fail me as you did my predecessors."

            "We will succeed, my Queen." They announced in unison.

            Azure smiled, "That is good to hear… I have asked the mighty Negaforce to help us. They have been kind enough to provide us with more warriors." She stopped, glancing at them, daring them to speak out. Some of them looked slightly displeased, but no one dared to say anything.

            "I am sure you have all heard of the ShadowCrystal Warriors before." She said the name with a slight grin as she watched the reaction. Some grimaced, others looked surprised. Azure stood, holding up her staff. "ShadowCrystals, I call you forward!" She cried, letting the power flow through her fingertips and crackle into the air. "Hematite!"

            A flash of light resulted a young man appeared. His eyes were an icy blue that seemed to glitter like his hair, which was also a shade of light blue. He wore a black suit that covered his whole body, complete with a flowing black cape. He bowed to Azure before taking his place to the right.

            "Serpentite!" Azure called again, using the Dark Energy to beckon the warrior forward.

            Another flash of light another man appeared. He had hair that was a flash of yellow and his eyes were fiery, glittering with specks of gold embedded in light brown. He also wore an outfit similar to Hematite's. He bowed and then took his place next to his partner, in the center.

            "Celestite!" Azure called the last warrior forward.

            This time, beneath the flash of light, emerged a woman. Her hair was long and flowed easily to the small of her back. It was full, and wavy, but what was perhaps the most strange, was that her hair was silver. It glimmered every time she moved. Her eyes were a shadowy gray color. Her outfit matched those of the other ShadowCrystals, but hers hugged her figure tightly. The cape that flowed from her shoulder seemed almost to cling to her arms whenever she moved, serving more as a train than a cape. She took her place to the left of Serpentite.

            "Your wish is our command, my Queen." The three said at the same time, each bowing low to the ground. Azure watched them, her eyes reflecting pure pleasure.

            "Welcome to my reign, ShadowCrystals." She greeted them. "I trust that you will serve me well. The Negaforce has been rising, and this time, we will triumph." She added turning to the others, "Nothing can, or will, stop us."

            Her workers looked at the each other, some with concern, others with doubt. Finally, Emerald stepped forward. She curtsied, bowing her head in reverence.

            "Forgive me, my Queen," She spoke up, "But it was our understanding that when you revived the defeated warriors of the past leaders, you also revived those that had turned against the Negaverse…" She began to say.

            "If it is Nephlite, Diamond, and Sapphire that you speak of," Azure cut in, "Let me assure you that we will be getting any interference from them. They are alive, mind you, and I certainly hope that they are enjoying the stay at my gracious palace…" She grinned to herself, laughing.

            The others looked at each other uncertainly, but didn't dare speak up.

            "Now," Azure looked them over, "We must begin our attack. We have to be careful, and wary, for the Sailor Scouts are a very tricky bunch. Jadeite, you will return to your post in the South. Rubeus, Malachite, Zoisite, you will also return to your Mountain posts. Make sure that the warriors are ready."

            "Yes, my Queen." They bowed to her before flickering and disappearing, each returning to their assigned post.

            "Emerald," Azure now turned to the last worker, "You have done well so far, you must continue your work. I will call for you when it is your time to reveal yourself."

            Emerald nodded, bowing as well before also disappearing.

            Azure waited until the others were gone before finally turning her attention to the ShadowCrystals. "I want you to supervise them, make sure that they are doing their job properly." She said, "If anyone trips up, you know the consequences."

            The ShadowCrystals watched her with their cool, impassive eyes. They each nodded in turn and dissipated, going their separate ways. The Queen watched with satisfaction, now leaning back in her seat. Everything was going perfectly.

*          *          *

            Frozen in time, never moving, never thinking, never being. The five prisoners lived, suspended in the vacuum. Some had been there for eons, others only for days. But all were doomed, for they were the most highly guarded prisoners in the universe. Diamond paced the span of the room, as he always did. Every so often, he'd look up and watch the others.

            "Diamond," His brother watched him with caring eyes, "Stop pacing so much, we're never going to get out of here."

            The man turned, his icy blue eyes sharp as they found the figure of Sapphire, "Yes we are." He replied, "All we need to do is figure out how to disrupt the vacuum."

            "And how do you plan to do that?" Sapphire asked, shaking his head.

            Diamond shrugged, "We'll figure out something."

            The other three didn't say anything as they just watched the two siblings argue, as they had for the past few months, over their escape plan.

            "Both of you, stop it!" Nephlite spoke up.

            The two both looked at their friend at the same time.

            "If we ever are going to get out of here, we have to be coordinated. If we keep arguing, we won't get anywhere!" Nephlite said.

            "The only way to disrupt the force field is if someone from the outside can trip the switch." Now the girl spoke up. She was young, perhaps not much older than twelve or thirteen. No one knew her name; she never bothered to share any information with them. They all called her Violet, for the color of her eyes. Now she ran an annoyed hand through her silky black hair and stood up. "Me and Ay here have been trying to get out for centuries."

            They three new prisoners looked towards the other man, the one to whom Violet always referred to as "Ay". He was a young man, but in his eyes, he held a haunted look. One that usually is only found in someone who had seen the horrors of the universe. He now stood up; his voice was soft but calm.

            "Violet is right." He said, "I've been here longer than any of you. Eons, millennia," He shrugged, "Time doesn't even matter here anymore. You never age, you never change. You live forever, in this solitude, and hope that one day, you can go crazy, and forget about everything."

            The others shuddered, listening to his calm, passive voice, as he told them of their fate. "That's what they hope. They want you to be so alone, that eventually, you go so crazy that you kill yourself. It's the most horrible punishment, and I've been here long enough to see thousands, millions, of people do exactly just that."

            "How come it never happened to you?" Sapphire asked, watching the prisoner.

            "Because," the man clenched his hand, "I've got a mission, and until I complete it, I will never rest."

            Violet shrugged, "What he says is true." She added, "We've both seen plenty of strong ones, warriors, get thrown in here and never get out. It's sad at the end, to see them rot and fester, and become nothing more than a shadow." She shuddered, "Even after all these centuries, I still can't stand it."

            "Well, it's not going to happen to us." Diamond said, "We have to get out, we have to go and find the Sailor Scouts and tell them what's going on. Princess Serenity will help us, she healed us once, and she'll know what to do."

            "Serenity…" Nephlite said the name with a bit of surprise, "So you've found the Moon Princess? What about the Silver Imperial Crystal…?"

            "The Moon Princess is Sailor Moon," Sapphire cut in, "Didn't you know that? Sailor Moon yields the power of the Silver Crystal…"

            Ay, who had been listening to the conversation the whole time, suddenly stood up, eyeing the three strangers, "Princess Serenity…" He said, "You know the Moon Princess?"

            Diamond watched the strange man, "Yes…" He finally said, "We once fought against her, but she healed us. She is the only one that stands between the Negaforce and the Universe."

            Ay sighed, rubbing his temples, "Serenity…" He repeated the name, "It couldn't be the same one…" he shook his head, "No matter, we need to contact her somehow…"

            "And warn her about this new leader…" Sapphire agreed, "What was her name? Did anyone catch it before she threw us in here?"

            The others shook their head, "It doesn't matter. Serenity will know, the only problem is, how can we contact her?"


	12. Part II: A Flicker From the Past

*Two*

            The night was quaint, silent. Only the occasional sound of a passing car disturbed the air as the moon rose over Tokyo. Serena sat silently on the bench, her eyes watching the fountain in front of her. She was alone, but somehow that didn't bother her. She closed her eyes and let the flicker pass again.

            The Silver Millennium was peaceful, everything was quiet. The garden smelled faintly of roses, and the birds had long left for sleep. The Princess sat by herself, her thoughts wandering through events. In her hand, she clasped a beautiful stone, black in color. She rubbed into between her fingers, watching the swirl of colors move more quickly.

            "Cousin! Come with me, I've got something to show you!" The voice was familiar and the Princess began to turn to face the person who was addressing her.

            Serena opened her eyes, frustrated. That was how it always went, right before she could find out who was calling her, the vision would end. She rubbed her eyes, trying to draw up the dream again. Every night, it came to her, and every night, it was the same. She banged her fist on the bench. What did it mean? Was it a memory, a warning? She understood that she should recognize the voice, recognize the stone that had been in her hand, but she didn't. It was there, in the back of her mind, but it never came.

*          *          *

            The others were all asleep, the room was dark. Diamond opened his eyes as he heard the scratching. Or could it be called scratching? He looked around the vacuum; it had no walls, no doors, nothing. Again, the sound came; it was as if the pure fabric of the vacuum was being cut through. He stood up now, his eyes having adjusted to the dark. Sapphire was sleeping soundly on the floor next to him; Nephlite was on the other side. Violet sat, dozing, in a corner, as always. And on the other side, Ay lay on the ground, sleeping. Where had the noise come from? Diamond began to walk around, trying to pinpoint the location of the sound. Suddenly, a large explosive sound erupted, jerking all the others awake. It sounded like the breaking of the sound barrier, as if something had popped, and let out all the pressure inside. Diamond's eyes grew wide as he saw almost the pure fabric of time and space be torn. There was a hole in the air, a clean cut in the middle of the room. The others had gotten up and were now crowded around the opening. Carefully, Diamond reached his hand through the opening, and found that there was something on the other side.

            "What's going on?" Sapphire asked, warily.

            "Come on through, quickly!" A distant yet somehow familiar voice was whispering to them from the other side.

            The five looked at each other, their eyes were solemn. Finally, Diamond stepped through the opening, followed quickly by the others. They found themselves in room, completely dark. Looking behind them, they realized that they had just stepped out of the wall.

            "Where are we?" Nephlite asked, his voice concerned.

            "You're in the Queen's dimension…" The voice came again and the five all whirled around. Before them stood a person, dressed completely in black. From the figure, they could tell the person was female. Her face was covered up completely with a black cloth except for her eyes. She wore black gloves and in one hand, she carried a weapon of some sort. Diamond looked back to that face, it was so familiar, those eyes that were gleaming back at him. They were green, sparkling in the dim light. Where did he remember those eyes from? 

"Who are you?" He finally asked.

            "I cannot tell you, Prince Diamond." She replied, her voice muffled, "But I am your friend, for now, though I will be your enemy in the future."

            "What do you mean…?" Sapphire now stepped forward, his eyes flickering over her figure and her face; he too saw something familiar.

            "No more questions." She replied, "You must leave before the Queen finds out what has happened."

            "Where are we?" Violet stepped forward.

            The woman looked at Violet, a faint grin spreading over her expression, "A little girl?" She asked, amused, "Why were you in the prison."

            "I don't answer question, I only ask them." Violet replied, her eyes narrowing to slits, "And I am no little girl."

            The woman shrugged. She turned to Diamond, handing him the blade that she held in her hand. "This is a powerful weapon, my Prince." She said, "It will cut through the fabric between dimensions. It is what I used to cut into the vacuum. The only way out of the Queen's dimension is through the wormhole, which is heavily guarded. You must use this blade to cut through to another dimension, to reach Earth."

            Diamond raised an eyebrow, "How do I do that?"

            The woman didn't say anything but continued, "I must leave you now. Good luck on your journey, my Prince." With that she turned and left.

            The five watched as she left, all of them confused.

            "Well…?" Ay spoke up, "Are we going get out of here or not?"

            Diamond eyed the weapon in his hand uneasily, watching as the dangerously sharp blade shimmered in the light. Testily, he held it up in the air. Holding it like a sword, he drew it quickly and silently across the air. To his surprised, the air opened up. He peered through the cut, seeing below him tumbling and rolling waves of molten hot lava and fire. Quickly, he pulled himself back.

            "Um…" he said swallowing, "I think I got the wrong dimension…"

            "Try again." Sapphire urged, turning around as he heard voices, "Someone is coming!"

            "I don't know how to get to Earth!" Diamond replied.

            Ay quickly stepped forward, grapping the weapon from Diamond. He wielded it with experience, and slashed across the air with skill. This time, as the gap opened up, the five peered through and onto the silent city of Tokyo, only now waking up with the rising sun.

            "Come on, let's go!" Nephlite said, jumping through and followed by the others. They landed softly onto the fresh green grass just as the opening closed behind them. Sapphire looked warily behind them.

"Well, that was close." He sighed, "They know that we've escaped."

"It doesn't matter." Nephlite replied, "They would have found out sooner or later."

There was a silence as the other nodded in agreement. As they stood up and surveyed the land, they finally got a good look at their companions. Diamond looked towards his brother, Sapphire. The man hadn't changed much, his blue blazer was slightly crumpled, but he looked as active as ever. Nephlite was fidgeting with his gray suit, his blue eyes wandering over the streets of the city. Diamond turned and looked at the other two. As he finally got a good look at Violet, he realized that she not as young as he thought. She was perhaps fourteen or fifteen. She was slim and rather tall. Her long black hair tumbled in gentle curls and waves to a length just below her shoulders. Her face was rather small, but sweet. Her skin was beautifully pale, tinged with pink at her cheeks. Her eyes, as always, were a sharp lavender. Her lips were now pursed into a small scowl, a dark shade of pink. She wore a long dress that was royal purple. Diamond turned to look at Ay. The young man was looking at the sun, watching it rise in the sky. Only then did Diamond realize that this man had not seen the sun for many millennia, what a pleasure it must be. Ay was perhaps about the same age as Diamond, in his early twenties. His eyes, a light brown, had lost some of the haunted look, and were now replaced by pure determination. He was wearing some sort of armor; a large sword fell at his side next to his hip.

            "Well," Sapphire sighed, breathing in the refreshing air, "Now that we're out, where do we go?"

            "To find Sailor Moon." Came simultaneous reply.

            "And how are we going to do that?" Sapphire asked, turning around in disbelief, "We don't know who she is!"

            "You don't," Nephlite stepped up, "But I do."

*          *          *

            School would start in a few weeks, and to Serena's surprise, she was looking forward to it. She hummed to herself as she got up in the morning. Peering out her window, she decided that it would be one of the last few days to where a summer dress. Flipping through the hangers on her closet rack, she began to pick out the outfit she would wear for the day.

            "Serena," Luna had somehow appeared at the girl's feet, "You should get downstairs to eat your breakfast soon if you want to make it to the park on time."

            "Don't worry, Luna." Serena replied, slipping on a short purple dress, "I know." The two made there way downstairs where Serena's mother had already set the table full with a toast and eggs.

            "Good morning, mother." The girl greeted with a wave as she sat down and began to fill her plate.

            "Good morning, honey," the woman replied with a bright smile, "You're up early."

            "That because she's supposed to take me to the park soon." Rini cut in grumpily, watching Serena take her time at eating.

            "Don't worry, Rini." Serena said, laughing, "We won't be late."

            "We better not." The little girl replied, sighing, " 'Cause Darien promised that he'd take me downtown today."

            Serena rolled her eyes, taking a piece of toast to go, "All right, Rini." She said, "Let's go, I'll eat on the way."

            "Yay!" Rini cheered, quickly jumping down from her chair. She grabbed Serena's hand, practically yanking her out the door before the young woman could even finish her milk. She began to run ahead as Serena walked behind her. Suddenly, she stopped and turned around to face Serena.

            "Serena," She said, finally looking at the other, "Will you come with Darien and me today?"

            Serena bit her lip, almost tempted to agree. She really wanted to see Darien; it had been so long. After they had returned from the camping trip, they barely saw each other. Only once in a while, they would bump into each other on the street, but only long enough the yell a quick "Hello." Serena sighed, wishing that she didn't miss him as much as she did. There was a constant ache in her chest, as if she wasn't complete without him. And yet, she had managed to live without seeing him for the summer. She hesitated; she knew that if she saw him again, she would never be able to let go.

            "Serena?" Rini asked, seeing the faraway look in the girl's eyes.

            She blinked, finally shaking her head slowly, "No, Rini, I can't come today. I've got other things to do. Besides, today is supposed to be your day on the town with Darien, you guys should have some fun together by yourself."

            Rini sighed, now skipping back up the sidewalk to stand next to her. "But it's no fun without you, Serena." She shrugged, "I mean, it used to be, but not anymore. Don't you care about Darien anymore?"

            Serena looked intently at Rini, "I care about Darien a lot." She replied quietly, "That's the reason I don't want to go today."

            Rini shrugged, resigning. The rest of the walk to the park was spent in silence.

*          *          *

            Darien sat patiently at the park. His eyes wandered towards the fountain and past it towards the small pond positioned in the center. He began to think of Rini. He hadn't spent a full day with the little girl since coming back from the camping trip. Most of his time was taken up by summer courses at the university and his free time was always spent with Emmy. Emmy, even the thoughts of her made a smile appear on his face. She was so understanding, and compassionate. She never argued, and it seemed like she got along with almost everyone. He leaned back in his chair as he remembered their date last night. It had been cut short, as usual, by Darien's need to attend his evening class. But still, even the few short minutes that he was able to spend with her, she made him feel so good. He laughed; he'd never felt this way about a girl before… Or had he? He frowned, as he let memories of the Silver Millennium come back. He remembered how it had felt so long ago, when he had been a Prince of the Earth. Something about the way everything just sort of clicked whenever he had been around Princess Serenity puzzled him. It was as if everything just fell into place when they were together, as if everything was secure and unchanging. He sighed, shaking his head; did he feel that when he had been with Serena? As he tried to draw up an image of the girl, he found himself imaging Serena falling head over heels onto the sidewalk. He chuckled; she had always been such a klutz. He frowned, trying to remember the last time that he had _really seen her. That had been months ago, during the camping trip. It was as if for the last couple of months, he had completely forgotten about her._

            "Darien!" he stood up as he heard his name being called. With a blink of an eye, he found himself nearly falling back as Rini ran straight into him and grabbed his legs tightly. He laughed, stroking the little girl's hair.

            "Hello, Rini." He said, prying her fingers off so that he was able to bend down and look at her.

            "I've missed you!" She said, grinning.

            "I've missed you too, Rini." He replied, pulling some candy from his pocket, "Here's something to keep you going throughout the day."

            Her eyes grew wide and she quickly grabbed the treasure from his hands, a laugh already on her lips, "Thank you, Darien!"

            "No problem." He replied, standing up, now. He sighed, looking up. Only then, did he notice Serena. She was standing off to the side, watching them. She was playing with a strand of her shimmering blond hair that had escaped from one of her braids. She was watching Rini, her expression content. There was something different about her, the way she stood and the way she carried herself, it was as if she had grown many years in maturity. She no longer looked like a ditz, or a klutz, she seemed… sophisticated. Darien seemed to be frozen for a moment, confusion going through his mind, had she always been this mature? As if sensing his gaze, the girl glanced up, meeting his eyes for a second. There, it struck, as if something in him had been locked inside and hidden from his knowledge and was only now being revealed. It was as if a door was being opened, and all his emotions had been locked inside. An ache began to grow inside of him, a longing, for what? For her? Before he could explore more, she looked away and the feeling faded.

            "All right, Rini." Serena was saying, "I'll stop by at Darien's apartment tonight to pick you up, OK?"

            "Yeah, sure." The girl replied, too preoccupied to even look up.

            Serena nodded, hesitating before walking towards Darien. "Thanks for taking care of her today," She said, her voice was quiet, "I'll come by around 7:00 tonight."

            "Um, yeah." He replied, stumbling for words, "That'll be fine."

            "All right, see you around then." She smiled and then turned, heading down the sidewalk. Darien watched her leave, mixed emotions still running through his body.

*          *          *

            "Your Majesty."

Azure turned around, a scowl already on her face, "What is it?" She demanded, her voice betrayed irritation."

            "The potion…" It was Venom, she was stuttering, trying to find the right words, "It's failing…"

            "What?" The Queen let a streak of power run down her arm and out through her fingertips, striking her servant, "I am displeased with you, Venom." She growled, her tone dangerously low, "This is three times that you have failed me. First, you failed to secure the vacuum, then you were unable to prevent the prisoners from escaping, and now you tell me that you potion is not working?"  
            "My Queen…" She tried to explain, "Please, it wasn't entirely my fault… it has been too long since the potion was last administered…"

            "I want no excuses!" The woman's blue eyes were alight with fire, "Three strikes, Venom, and you're out!"

            "No, please, your Majesty, one more chance!" Venom begged, having already fallen to her knees.

            Azure watched the servant kneeling before her. "I do not show mercy to those that have failed me, Venom…"

            "I will try harder, my Queen. Please," The worker's voice was shaking with fright, "I'll make the potion stronger this time, nothing will be able to penetrate it… I promise!"

            Azure was still displeased, "And why did the first potion fail in the first place?"

            Venom stuttered, "It's hard… my Queen. It's hard to defy Destiny. The first potion was designed so that Prince Endymoin's feelings and memories of Princess Serenity would be decreased and faded away, so that he is more perceptible to outer influence… but the spell was not able to hold up when he came into direct contact with the Princess. The feelings are too strong, your Majesty, it is practically impossible…"

            "Impossible?" She asked, one of her thin eyebrows shot up, "Nothing is impossible, Venom. You should know that by now…"

            "Please, your Majesty…" But it was already too late; the bolt struck the woman in the chest, cutting her sentence off even before it was able to leave her lips. Silently, her body collapsed, falling in a pile to the floor. Azure watched with uncompassionate eyes.

            "Emerald!" She called, her tone sharp.

            "I am here, my Queen." The woman was kneeling down, not daring to look at the Queen.

            "Take this," Azure through a vial at the floor where it landed in front of Emerald, "I knew that Venom's potion was going to fail sooner or later. This one is stronger, and should not give so easily. You must make sure that Endymoin drinks it."

            "I will not fail you, your Majesty." Emerald replied, taking the vial and putting it away safely, "You can count on me."

            "I hope so, Emerald, for your sake."

*          *          *

            Serena walked away quickly, trying to hold back the tears that were already there. Why did she still care about him so much? She cursed herself for being so soft. When he looked at her with those eyes, she sighed, it was as if she melted right before him. She couldn't forget everything that they had once shared. She couldn't forget the Silver Millennium, all the years that they had loved each other. She walked more quickly, the pain began to grow and spread but she ignored it. At one time, they had been inseparable but now, it was as if they were total strangers. What had happened? Her walk quickened to a jog and then to a half-run as she suddenly felt the desperate need to get home. She didn't look where she was going, her eyes stayed locked on the asphalt beneath her feet.

            "Sailor Moon…" She yelped as she heard the name. She stopped, just in time before she ran into the man standing before her. She looked up; recognition hit her before she could even speak. She took a step back, nearly falling, but catching her balance just in time.

            "Diamond…?" She whispered the name, barely able to comprehend what was happening.

            "So you still recognize me, Sailor Moon?" He asked, slightly amused.

            She looked past him at the others. Behind him stood Sapphire and Nephlite. They both looked at her, their expression impassive. She felt like she should run, should transform, should try to fight. But something about them, told her that she was safe. She stepped forward for a moment, and the looked at them critically.

            "What… what's going on?" She asked.

            "We need your help, Sailor Moon…" Diamond stepped forward, taking her hand, "The Negaverse has a new ruler, she's dangerous. We came to warn you of her."

            Serena nodded, "I know this already." She said. She looked back to the others standing behind Diamond. Suddenly, she noticed two strangers. One was a young woman, perhaps about the same age as Serena. She looked like a princess out of a mediaeval fairytale, dressed in a long flowing gown. She was watching Serena with sharp violet colored eyes. The other stranger was a young man… Something about him was so familiar, yet Serena couldn't place it. She found herself walking towards him, ignoring the others as they tried to explain to her. The man wasn't looking at her; he seemed to stare at the ground, trying to avoid her gaze. She arrived in front of him where she stopped. She waited, finally satisfied as he began to raise his head to meet her eyes. The others had fallen silent, unsure of what to make of the situation. The recognition inside of her began to surface more quickly as she watched him. His armor, his hair, they all seemed to strike a familiar chord inside of her. Suddenly, she found herself caught in his gaze. His eyes, they were such a smooth caramel brown. The recognition finally came and she knew where she had seen him before.

            "Andre…" The name was no more than a whisper, but with it came memories. They seemed to flood over her mind, into her brain, overloading all of her senses. Before she could sort them out, she found herself slipping to the ground as unconsciousness swept over her.


	13. Part II: A Flicker From the Past

*Three*

                        The Silver Millennium was peaceful, everything was quiet. The garden smelled faintly of roses, and the birds had long left for sleep. The Princess sat by herself, her thoughts wandering through events. In her hand, she clasped a beautiful stone, black in color. She rubbed into between her fingers, watching the swirl of colors move more quickly.

            "Cousin! Come with me, I've got something to show you!" The voice was familiar and the Princess began to turn to face the person who was addressing her.

She let the stone drop to her lap as her gaze finally landed on the person she was looking for. Before her stood a young woman. She was tall, in her late teens. Her eyes were a beautiful aqua blue, sparkling with laughter. She had long flowing blue hair that fell in waves to her waist. In her hand she was holding something. A pendant? Yes, it was a pendant, made of precious gold and jewels. It had been given to her by her love, Prince Andre Galaxia. Who was the woman? It took only a moment for the answer to come, for everything made so much more sense now.

            "Azure." Serena opened her eyes and only then did she realize that it was her voice that had spoken the name. She found, hovering over her, Prince Diamond. He was watching her, his eyes worried. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she spoke.

            "Sailor Moon, are you all right?" He asked. She felt his arms supporting her, carrying her.

            "What… happened?" She asked, closing her eyes and swallowing.

            "You fainted." He replied, now becoming concerned, "Did Ay do something to you?" He asked, his voice turning hard and accusing, "You were looking at him and then the next moment you fell."

            "Ay?" The unfamiliar name rolled from her lips. She quirked an eyebrow. She had been standing, waiting for the stranger to look at her. She closed her eyes trying to block away the realization but it was too late. She wriggled out of Diamond's grasp, feeling her legs turn into jelly as they hit the grassy hill beneath her. She whirled around, her eyes searching. It couldn't have been a dream, it wasn't a dream… Finally, she saw him again. This time, he didn't look away. He stood, his hands at his sides. She finally stumbled towards him.

            "Andre…" It wasn't a question; it was a statement of his identity.

            He knelt down quickly, taking her right hand and kissing it, "I serve you, Princess Serenity, as I served your mother."

            "Please, Andre… get up." She stepped back and waited for him to rise. She shook her head, still trying to straighten out all the memories.

            "You are remembering…?" He asked, watching him.

            She nodded, "Yes… they said, Azure said, you were dead?" She looked back at him unbelieving.

            "I was captured by the Negaverse." Andre replied, "To be used as a hostage. But then Beryl took over the Kingdom without the need of me, so she locked me up in a vacuum. I was trapped in there for millennia, forgotten by the guards who no longer knew why I was even prisoner. There I stayed, until I was joined by the others." He motioned to the four other people standing off to the side, "And I was able to break free."

            "All this time…?" She shook her head.

            "I had heard from a warrior who had been imprisoned with me during the time of the Silver Millennium that the four Guardians, Prince Endymoin, and Princess Serenity had been sent to the future Earth by Queen Serenity, to be reincarnated as regular people. There they were to start a new life, a happier life, and perhaps one day they would be able to realize their destinies and the Moon Kingdom would rise again. Ever since then I vowed to escape and find you. To help you regain the Universe and the Kingdom back again." He said, his voice becoming strong and filled with determination.

            "I thank you, Andre." She finally said, "What you have heard is true. We are all on Earth now, and we have been fighting to protect this place, as well as the rest of the Universe, from the influence of the Negaverse. But it has become harder now, as the Negaforce is gaining more allies and more strength. We can't hold out much longer."

            Andre watched her with failing confidence, "I had hoped that things would be better here in the future. But I see it is not." He sighed, shaking his head, "I will do anything I can to help you, Serenity. I was once your loyal and trusted friend in happier times, I hope that can be again."

            Serena smiled, "Of course, Andre." She replied, "I'd have it no other way." She laughed, "I feel so whole again, now that I've regained all these memories about the Moon Kingdom."

            "Excuse me, Sailor Moon?" Sapphire stepped forward, "I'm sorry to intrude, but there are really some urgent things we need to talk about."

            "Right." Serena nodded, "I should probably bring you up to date on what's been happening lately." She eyed the others, "The first thing I need to tell you is that my name is Serena. Please don't call me Sailor Moon, Moon Princess, or Princess Serenity, I would like to keep my identity confidential."

            They nodded, watching her.

            She turned, looking towards them for a moment. The three former Negaverse workers were watching her. They were changed; they no longer held such an icy, uncaring demeanor. It was as if they were discovering for the first time what it was like to be human. They had nothing to lose, and they wouldn't let anything stop them from retaining the happiness that they had finally gained. She looked towards Andre. He had been locked up for so long, and now that he had finally been freed, he would never let anyone capture him again. He seemed to be as determined as ever, his gaze never left her face. He was still the loyal, always knowledgeable friend that he had always been. He would fight to the end. Finally, her gaze landed on the other girl. How did she fit into all this? It was as if everyone else had come for a reason, but as of now, Serena still couldn't figure out what the girl had to do with everything. She shrugged, sighing to herself Destiny will reveal itself in time, was the only good answer she could come up with. Finally, she spoke again. "Now, the Negaverse has been getting much stronger lately. It is because it has come under the rule of a new leader, a new Queen."

            "Who is she?" Nephlite asked, his expression full of curiosity.

            Serena rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm sorry to say, she used to be one of my most beloved friends." She sighed, looking at Andre with regret, "She was my cousin in the Silver Millennium, but just when times were getting hard for all of us and Beryl was moving to crush the Kingdom, she decided to betray us. She turned to the Negaverse, and helped them defeat the Moon Kingdom. She was once known to me as Princess Azure Moonbeam, but now she has become Queen Azure Darkjewel of the Negaverse."

            Andre listened to her, his face impassive. But Serena knew that with every word she said, it hurt him. He tried not to show it, but his eyes betrayed everything. She felt so unbearably sorry for him, sorry for having to be the one to tell him.

            "Have you encountered her before?" Diamond asked, unaware of the severity of the situation.

            Serena nodded, "Yes, we have. She has attacked us many times, and has been able to bring old adversaries back to life. She doesn't seem to care about losing the people around her. She's very independent, it seems, and she will be hard to defeat."

            "We must destroy her, before she harms anymore people." Nephlite said, determined.

            "No." Serena surprised even herself as she found herself defending her enemy. "We can not harm her. She is not born and made evil, like Beryl and Phantom had been. She never asked to become what she has become, and she doesn't deserve to be destroyed. She was confused when she betrayed us, and I think she still is. She believe she is alone in this universe, we must find a way to show her that she is not."

            "And what if she never sees it, what if she stays evil forever?" Sapphire asked.

            "She won't, she can't." Serena stuttered, "If you believe that I could heal you, and give you better lives as I have done. Then give me your trust, and I promise I will not fail you."

            "We serve you, now, Sailor… I mean Serena." Diamond stepped forward, "We trust you and we will fight by your side."

            She nodded, "I thank you for your loyalty and support. I need you to come with me, so that we can meet the other Scouts. They should be told and warned of the new developments. We need to get working fast."

*          *          *

            An uneasy silence filled the room as the four girls sat around the table, watching with disbelief as they tried to understand what their friend had told them. They looked first at Serena and then towards the five visitors.

            "You mean that he," Rei pointed at Andre, "Was our friend on the Silver Millennium?"

            "Yes." Serena replied, trying to explain things as quickly and precisely as possible. "He was and still is."

            "How can you be so sure?" Lita asked warily, looking at the whole group of strangers, "I mean… how do you know that they have turned to our side and that they aren't going to betray us?"

            "I just… know." Serena replied, "I can't explain it. But I know. They want to help us. Come on, give them another chance."

            "What do you think, Mina?" Rei looked towards the other girl.

            "Why me?!" The blond asked, surprised as she pointed towards herself.

            "Technically," Amy responded, "You, Sailor Venus, must make the decisions for the Scouts in the absence of Sailor Moon."

            Mina sighed, looking towards Serena. She didn't say anything, but just stared straight into the girl's eyes. The air was heavy with anticipation, but neither of the two girls flinched away. "I think," Mina finally spoke quietly, "That we should trust them."

            Serena smiled, "I knew you'd understand." She sighed with relief. She motioned towards Andre and he stepped forward. "Give me your sword, Andre." She said, turning to face him. The man hesitated and then drew the shimmering blade. Serena took it, wielding it with more expertise than the girls' could imagine. She swung it once across the air and then pointed it towards the other Scouts, hilt facing towards them. "Touch the sword, and you'll understand."

            The other looked at each other, unsure whether to trust her. Mina looked back at Serena. There was a misty almost dull look in her eyes, as if she wasn't really there. Mina understood, the spirit of Princess Serenity had taken over the girl's body. She stepped forward boldly, putting her hand on the hilt without hesitation. The others followed her lead, all placing their hands over hers. Finally, when the last girl put her fingers to the hilt, there was a flash of light. It was as if time was frozen and the only thing that mattered was themselves. Flashes, memories, images, flew around them, in a swirl of color, sound and light. They stumbled back as everything seemed to bombard them at once, filling their brain with memories long forgotten. Finally, it stopped; leaving the four girls crouched low to the ground, each panting heavily with exasperation. Serena watched them, waiting until the silence returned.

            "Do you believe me now?" She asked.

            The four looked up, seeing the haunted look leave their friend's eyes, "Yes." Was the unison reply.

*          *          *

            Rini slurped loudly at her ice cream shake, enjoying every little bit of it. Darien watched her, a small smile on his face. He sat back, savoring the small gap of silence that he finally was able to have. He looked out the window, noticing that the sun was finally beginning to peer out from behind the clouds. His attention began to wander and soon found himself daydreaming.

            "Hello, Darien." He was jerked from his own world by that voice. He looked up quickly, already half risen from his seat.

            "Oh, hi, Emmy." He replied, smiling. "I didn't expect to find you here."

            "Yeah, I was walking back from class when I saw you at the diner. I thought I'd drop by." She replied, flashing one of her irresistible smiles.

            "I'm glad that you did." He replied, "Here, sit down."

            Rini glared at the woman but said nothing, continuing to sip at her shake.

            "I need to run to make a call, could you watch Rini for me?" Darien asked, getting up for a moment.

            "Yeah, no problem." She replied, smiling. Darien nodded and headed off to the pay phone in the corner. Rini watched him leave. Finally, she turned around to face Emmy.

            "So, how have you been, little one?" The woman asked.

            Rini gave a shrug and mumbled incoherently, not looking at her.

            Emmy shrugged. She waved her hand towards the waitress, trying to get her attention.

            "What'll it be?" The woman asked, coming over, pen and pad in hand.

            "Could I have a chocolate milk shake?" Emmy asked, leaning back in her chair.

            "Yeah, sure, it'll be a minute." The waitress replied, walking away to take another order. Emmy waited patiently, still watching the little girl.

            "You're awfully quiet." She commented.

            Rini shrugged again, still not replying. Emmy sighed, giving up. She took the shake gratefully as the waitress returned with her order. She stirred at it a bit, not really drinking it. Finally she took a little sip, seeming to taste it. A look of surprise came over her face as she frowned. She pulled out the straw, turning it around in her fingers. On one side was a small hole that prevented the liquid from flowing through it. Emmy shrugged, taking another straw and putting it in. She stirred it a bit then she smiled, nodding to herself.

            "Aren't you going to drink more?" Rini asked.

            Emmy shrugged, "Maybe later." By then, Darien had returned.

            "Sorry about that." He said, sitting down next to Emmy.

            "I ordered a drink for you." She said sweetly, giving it to him, "You said that chocolate was your favorite."

            He smiled, nodding, "Thanks." He took the drink and began to sip at it. Emmy watched him, smiling once in a while whenever he looked up. Rini rolled her eyes, returning to her own shake, trying to block them out of her thoughts.


	14. Part II: A Flicker From the Past

*Four*

            Andre sat silently, watching the others talk amongst themselves. They seemed liked strangers to him, but yet they were still so familiar. He had known them all before, when they lived on the Silver Millennium. But now, they had changed. They weren't the same people, though they might still retain the same memories. They all had new lives, lives that they had been familiar with for the past decade and more. He knew that he would never be able to comprehend the tight and unspoken relationship that the five girls shared, it had existed on the Silver Millennium and it was still evident now. He sighed, suddenly feeling incredibly tired. For a good part of eternity, he had been locked up. It felt so strange to finally be in contact with people again. Now, he felt so lost. Inside his prison, he had known what he wanted: to get out, but now that he had achieved that end; he no longer knew what the next step was. Somehow, he felt so hopeless, so alone. With every step accomplished, it felt as if Destiny just shot another obstacle at him.

            "Is something wrong, Andre?" the familiar voice of Princess Serenity penetrated his thoughts. He shook his head, letting his eyes focus on her face.

            "No, I'm just tired." He replied with a small smile, "It's rather overwhelming to finally be out of my prison."

            "Yeah…" Serena nodded slowly, "It must have been horrible."

            Andre shrugged, "I suppose I got used to it after a while." He sighed, "After the first few decades, you just stop counting the time and only concentrate on your goal."

            Serena watched him with concerned and sympathetic eyes, "I'm sorry, Andre." She finally said, "It must have been torture to be alone for so long."

            "It doesn't matter." Was his reply as he looked towards her, "I'm just glad that I finally got out." He watched her for a moment and then chuckled, "It's strange…" he finally said, "to meet you again in your resurrected form."

            Serena raised an eyebrow, "I know that I'm not the same Princess Serenity that you used to know, but I can't be all that different."

            Andre shrugged, "It's not so much your attitude, it just feels so weird seeing you in this world. Here, you're just a teenager, going to school, doing homework, enjoying shopping… on the Silver Millennium, you were a princess, dignified and confined by a dozen responsibilities. It's hard to say whether you were happier then, or now."

            Serena shrugged, "I don't think I can compare my life here to my life there." She finally said, "They are two very different worlds with two very different responsibilities. Neither of them are blissfully easy to lead, but both have their good times and their bad times."

            Andre chuckled, watching her with sparkling eyes, "That must be Princess Serenity talking right there." He sighed, looking her over, "It's hard for me to get used to the fact that you're so much younger now…"

            Serena quirked an eyebrow, "How old was I before?"

            "Eighteen." He replied, "You had just passed your coming of age birthday, I remember it well."

            Serena stared off at the carpet as she drew up forgotten memories. "Yeah…" She finally said, "I do too." She closed her eyes, stopping the tears from coming.

            Andre watched her for a few minutes before speaking; "I'd not thought that the memories of that birthday would be painful for you, Princess. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

            "No." She replied, forcing a smile, "It's all right. The memories that it brings are not painful, Andre, they might be the happiest memories that I've had of the Silver Millennium." She sighed, "I guess I almost long to have what I had back then."

            Before Andre could inquire more, they were interrupted by the others.

            "You guys, shouldn't we start formulating a plan of some sort?" Mina asked, looking towards them.

            "Yeah." Serena sighed, turning in her seat to face the others. "First, we have to figure out how to incorporate these new developments into our original plan." She looked towards Diamond, Sapphire and Nephlite. "Are you willing to help us?"

            "Of course!" Diamond spoke for all of them; his voice was filled with a determination that Serena had never heard before.

            "Then the question is, can you help us? Do you still have your powers?" Ami asked, now slightly concerned.

            The three looked to each other, a troubled look coming over their eyes, "We don't know." Sapphire finally said, "But if Azure resurrected the others with full abilities, then we should assume that we too have our powers."

            Serena nodded, "We can't be sure until you actually try." She finally said, "And right now, I'm not sure we should let Azure know that you're helping us. The more surprises we can pull on her, the better."

            Mina nodded, "Yeah." She agreed, "I have a bad feeling that we're in for a long ride."

            Rei sighed, curling her legs under her as she sat cross-legged on the floor, "Don't you think someone should tell Darien about all this…"

            There was a silence as everyone looked over at Serena, the five new visitors with a look of expectation, the four Sailor Scouts with looks of sympathy and question.

            "Yeah." Serena finally replied, "I'll tell him about it when I go to pick up Rini tonight."

            There was a continued silence as if the others were waiting for something more. Finally it was broken by a quiet cough. The others looked away then.

            "Anyway," Lita broke the silence as she tried to find a new topic for conversation, "Um." She turned towards Violet, "How do you fit into all this?"

            Violet let a small grin cross her face. She was leaning silently against the wall. Since their arrival, Violet had not spoken once. "I'm not sure that I do fit into this."

            Mina cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean? Why were you in that prison?"

            Violet shrugged, "I was thrown in there about a century and a half ago… I don't really care to remember how or why."

            Something about her tone told the others not to ask any further. Though Violet appeared to be a gentle, kind young girl, her voice held a dangerous and pained tone. It was as if she had seen horrors and dangers that had given her wisdom and spite far beyond her years.

            "Everyone here is here for a reason," Andre finally said, rising from his seat, "Fate has brought us together, though She has not explained why. Each of our destinies will unfold before us, but only time can tell what they will be. Let's just leave it at that."

            The others nodded in agreement, each with a sinking determination already lodged into their hearts.

*          *          *

            Darien watched absently as Rini played at the toys spread all over his apartment floor. He walked out onto the balcony, leaving the little girl to play. The weather was beginning to cool down a little, but the air was still crisply warm. It was a great day for taking a walk, he decided. His thoughts wandered inevitably to Emmy. He sighed, happily. Why hadn't he seen before just how perfect she was? He shook his head in annoyance as he heard someone knocking at his door. He walked back into the apartment. When he opened the door, Serena was standing there.

            "I'm here to pick Rini up." She said quietly, watching him.

            "Oh, right." Darien replied, not even giving her a glance, "Come on Rini, Serena's here to pick you up."

            "Serena!" Rini ran towards the woman. Serena watched the girl with surprise, Rini had never been this enthusiastic about leaving Darien.

She quirked an eyebrow at him, "So how was it?"

"Hmm?" He asked, obviously not listening, "Oh, the afternoon was fun." He replied shortly.

Serena watched him with worried eyes; it wasn't like him to be this absentminded. Finally she shrugged, sighing inwardly, somehow, she felt as if she really didn't know him anymore. "There have been some… developments, Darien." She finally said, her voice soft. "Azure might be planning to make a move soon, do you think you could find some time and come to one of the meetings, we need to talk over what our plan is."

"I guess." He replied with a shrug, "just give me a call about what day it's going to on."

            "All right." She said, relieved that he had agreed, "I'll see you then."

            "Right, see ya." He said closing the door as she and Rini turned to leave. He discarded his sports jacket on the couch and walked back to the balcony, having already forgotten the conversation he just had. His thoughts were still, and would always remain, on Emmy.

*          *          *

            Rini skipped alongside Serena as they headed home. Every so often she would bend down to collect some leaves, humming all the while. Serena watched her, keeping attention to make sure the girl didn't wander too closely to the road.

            "Did you have fun at Darien's today?" She asked, stopping to pick up a particularly beautiful red leaf.

            "Yeah, I guess." Rini replied, "It was really fun in the morning. Me and Darien went to the river and played a bit and he pushed me on the swings, I went so high!" She squealed with delight as she remembered, "But then…" Her voice turned disappointed, "We ran into Emmy. After that, he acted like I didn't even exist. It was really boring, I couldn't understand what they were talking about…"

            "I'm sorry, Rini." Serena said, puzzled as she listened to the story. It wasn't like Darien to forget about Rini. The two seemed to be linked by an unbreakable bond. But then again… Serena had thought that she and Darien were also linked by an unbreakable bond, and that had been proved wrong quite quickly. She sighed, shaking her head. Why was she thinking about him so much? She missed him, and every day, she thought about him at least once. It was as if he had lodged himself into her memory, and he wouldn't go away. She sighed, shaking her head, wishing that things weren't so complicated.

*          *          *

            "Hematite," Her voice was soft and gentle, "It won't be long, just be patient for a little longer."

            "I know, love." Came his quiet reply. He reached out a hand and gently brushed her cheek, "But I don't want to wait anymore."

            She sighed, leaning into the caress. Placing her small hand over his, she met his eyes with her own silvery gray ones. Gently, he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Celestite." He breathed her name.

            "I need to go back, Hematite." She replied, reluctantly, "If Serpentite finds me here…"

            "Let him find us, I don't fear him." His reply was bold.

            "Fear is not the issue, love." She replied, "We are the ShadowCrystals, we have a duty, a charge."

            He sighed repeating the mission with a dull drab voice, "The Chosen must not bend, they must not stray, they must not feel emotions, for that is for the weak. The Chosen are bound together by Fate and Destiny, they must defend their charge with their life, or lose it in disobedience."

            "Only a little longer, Hematite, only a little longer." She kissed him gently on the cheek before turning to leave. She melted into the darkness, disappearing like a true ShadowCrystal.

*          *          *

            Serpentite sipped slowly at the crimson red wine in his goblet. He shifted his position slightly, leaning back comfortably in his chair. His flowing back cape trailed to the floor, he rested his chin thoughtfully on one hand as he held the goblet in the other. Swallowing slowly, his fiery golden eyes flickered about his palace. An unseen servant dropped something silently on the table next to him. He didn't say anything, and didn't even bother to look at the object. His eyes stayed intent on the wine in his cup. Absently, he fingered the object with his free hand, twirling it this way and that with expertise. It was a small, round, marble-like stone. It was completely smooth, having been worn from eons of existence. Rolling it expertly between his two fingers, Serpentite closed his eyes, letting the power begin to flow. The stone began to grow, turning a translucent filmy blue color. When it had reached the size of his open palm, it stopped growing and just sat on his hand. His golden-red eyes seemed to penetrate the cool, misty, blue of the stone, as if he could see something in it. Like this, he stayed for a few minutes, staring into the depths of the stone. Finally he looked away, blinking a few times. The stone began to shrink, returning to its original size. Slipping it into his pocket, he sat back, a content smile on his face.

*          *          *

            The afternoon breeze was cool as it flitted through the air, brushing the autumn leaves, making them flutter and float to the ground. At the Cherry Hill Temple, a small group of young people were all gathered together. There were the five Sailor Scouts, all sitting, some sprawled, over the steps of the temple. Andre stood, leaning against one of the large pillars that upheld the structure. The three former Negaverse workers stood off at the other pillar, leaning casually or sitting in front of the temple entrance. Violet was present as well, she seemed to always be there, no matter what happened. Though she seemed not to be directly linked to the others gathered there, she was still connected to a larger picture, one that they couldn't quite figure out yet. Rei looked impatiently at her watch, rolling her eyes.

            "Where is he?" She muttered under her breath, but just loud enough for everyone else to hear.

            "He'll be here." Serena replied, "He said he'd be here."

            "Are you sure?" Ami asked, "Did you call him?"

            "Yes." Serena replied, annoyed, "I told Darien that we'd be having a meeting here, he said that he'd come."

            "It's been almost a half an hour! I don't think he's going to show." Lita said, "It's not like him to be tardy like this."

            "Maybe he's stuck in traffic or something…"

            "On a weekday? In the middle of the afternoon? There is no traffic during this time, Serena." Mina replied, "We'll just have to start the meeting without him."

            Serena sighed in resignation, finally nodding her head. "I guess you're right…"

*          *          *

            A perfect day for a picnic… Emmy nibbled slowly on her tuna fish sandwich, watching as Darien sat across from her on the blanket. She smiled, stopping for a moment to take a sip from her drink.

            "Thank you for agreeing to come out here with me on such short notice. I hope that I didn't make you cancel any prior plans." She said, her voice warm.

            "It was no problem, Emmy." He replied, popping a grape into his mouth, "Nothing can be more important than being with you…"

*          *          *

            Azure watched contently at the scene in the park. So… the potion was beginning to work… She snickered, wiping the crystal ball clear. She set the ball on the table next throne, seating herself elegantly. First, Darien would start missing small things, meetings and whatnot, but soon the potion would take over completely, and he would be under her control. She was surprised at how easily she had been able to turn him. Even before she started to use the potion, Darien had strayed from Serena. From that first day that he bumped into Emmy, he had had doubts. Azure frowned; she had not started using her own manipulations until after the incidents in the mountains, yet even before then, Darien had dumped Serena for a new woman… But then again, love never did last, with interference, or without. She laughed; speaking aloud, though no one was there to listen to her.

            "Now, my dearest cousin, the fun shall begin."

*          *          *

            In the depths of the Azure's palace, a dark shadow flitted first to one side of the chamber, then to the other. It seemed to melt into the walls and the floors, never coming close enough to the light to reveal itself. Like this, the shadow stayed, it's glowing eyes intent on the unknowing Queen of the Negaverse. Azure was ignorant of the shadow. She didn't know on how many conversations it had eavesdropped, nor did she know what it was planning for her. The eyes were unwavering as they continued their watchful silence, never straying from the Queen's figure. With every breath, the shadow seemed to melt further back, practically part of the wall. It never stirred, nor did it ever make any sound. Only when the Queen finally spoke, did the shadow respond.

            "Now, my dearest cousin, the fun shall begin." She was saying. She was so confident of herself.

            The shadow grinned to itself. The voice that came from it was no more than a small whisper, but it carried a tone of threat. "Yes, my Queen, it certainly shall…"


End file.
